Wetherspoons chef suspended for kitchen secrets TikTok video reveals which dishes are microwaved and which are fresh
A WETHERSPOONS chef who showed how the pub microwaves its curries on TikTok today revealed lasagne and even Alfredo pasta gets zapped. J Salsa, 19, was suspended after his videos went viral – but said he didn’t regret sharing the trade secrets. Speaking to the Sun Online, the kitchen worker revealed how Wetherspoons staff often dance […]
A WETHERSPOONS chef who showed how the pub microwaves its curries on TikTok today revealed lasagne and even Alfredo pasta gets zapped.
J Salsa, 19, was suspended after his videos went viral – but said he didn’t regret sharing the trade secrets.
Speaking to the Sun Online, the kitchen worker revealed how Wetherspoons staff often dance in the kitchen as they prepare the grub.
And he said that while the eggs and meat were cooked fresh, curries, lasagne and other pasta dishes were whacked in the microwave.
He revealed: “The meals are usually defrosted a couple days before – every night we take them out and defrost them out overnight.
“Then we microwave them when they are needed.
“People were shocked over the videos but I thought it was obvious.
“The curries are microwaved – I thought that was obvious. How do you get a curry in five minutes for five pounds?
“They’re quite nice even if they are microwaved.”
J Salsa’s videos went viral after he shared a behind-the-scenes look at Wetherspoons kitchens, showing how they cook up a breakfast and the curries.
He said he had been bored one shift when he started to film himself working in the pub kitchen – deciding to cobble the clips together to share online.
But the film student was left astonished when the video was viewed by thousands in just a few hours – and has now been suspended by the popular chain over the clips.
Speaking to the Sun Online, J Salsa said: “I was feeling a bit down that day and I’m a filmmaker, I like to make videos and short films so story-telling comes naturally.
“I was just a bit bored but filming is sort of my therapy.”
At the time the teen uploaded his first TikTok six days ago, he had no followers – saying he didn’t expect anyone to see it.
But he said: “Quite soon after I posted it, that same evening, the likes started to come in and the views started to come in.”
He added: “I feel like it blew up because no one actually knew about what the Wetherspoons kitchen worked.”
The first video he had shared was showing how to make a Wetherspoons breakfast, with the teen later posting a clip about how to prepare curry.
The TikTok clip showed him reheating a plastic packet of rice, with him narrating: “First up, warm up your defrosted chicken curry in the microwave for about two or three minutes along with your rice for another two minutes.
“Then I prepared these poppadoms earlier so just slap it on the plate.
“When your rice is ready slap it on the plate. I don’t get paid enough for this.
“Put your curry into the special traditional curry bowl, imported straight from India, custom made just for spoons. Then put your bread onto the plate.”
Wetherspoons menu: What's zapped and what's not
Freshly cooked:
Meat
Eggs
Sausages
Burgers
Mixed grills
Frozen meals that are microwaved:
Lasagne
Alfredo pasta
Curries
J Salsa also showed his followers how he makes a classic Wetherspoons breakfast – with many customers surprised that most of the ingredients are prepared fresh.
The teen admitted he had been “naïve” when he shared the video and only realised he might get into trouble when an ex-manager messaged him warning he could get fired for the clips.
And on Sunday he was hauled into a meeting with his manager and suspended on full pay – now waiting for a final decision next week over his future with the company.
He said: “I like my job and most of the pubs treated me pretty good.
“I enjoyed working there so it’s a shame that I’m most likely not going to be working there.
“I feel like I’m excited for what the future has got in store.”
The teen said he was now hoping to work with other restaurants to show off how they made their dishes on social media, as well as share clips of his own home cooking.
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Wetherspoons has a strict no social media policy for its pubs, shutting down its Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts in 2018.
The pub chain said it made the decision following concerns about social media being used to troll MPs.
Wetherspoons declined to comment.
