2,000 Shanghai Restaurants to Install Open Kitchens to Prove You Can Trust Their Food

Diners in China will soon be able to get a behind-the-scenes look at what really goes into preparing their food after over 2,000 restaurants install see-through kitchens in Shanghai.

The new plan was first implemented in Pudong in September in an effort to improve food safety.

Since then, the number of transparent kitchens has increased from 200 to 730, according to the People’s Daily.

About 70% of these restaurants have also installed surveillance cameras in their kitchens as an alternative to the clear glass, so patrons in the dining area can monitor their food in real-time through a closed-circuit TV system.

In addition, the profile pictures, names and telephone numbers of restaurant managers and food safety administrators can also be seen on the TV screens, so there is no room for error on the staff’s part.

The see-through kitchens are appropriate for venues that do not “require complicated processing,” according to Wu Haiqin, a Pudong District Market Supervision Administration employee.

Food safety was one of the hot issues brought up during the 5th meeting of the 12th National People’s Congress, with more strict food security regulations to be put into effect starting on March 20.

Over the next few years, all restaurants can expect see-through kitchens to be mandatory for venues that exceed a certain size, while school cafeterias and other institutions across Shanghai will be required to install closed-circuit TV systems.

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