What do you do when you open a panel and roaches start crawling out like they pay rent?

Or when grease has literally vacuum-sealed a fryer to the wall?

Or when you realize the ice machine you’re working on should probably be condemned… and set on fire?

In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat and Rich sit down together in person from South Carolina ahead of the CFESA Region 4 meeting to talk about the nasty side of the trade that nobody warns you about — but every technician eventually faces.

We’re talking real-world, in-the-trenches stories:
• Roaches living inside contactors and controllers
• Ice cream machines so bad they get declared “throw it away” on the spot
• Grease so thick it explodes wiring
• Dish machines full of yeast, flour, and nightmares
• Dead rats preserved in fryer grease (yes, really)
• Ice machines that should absolutely never be used again
• And installs so bad they make you question humanity

Beyond the horror stories, we also break down the important stuff:
How do you professionally address disgusting working conditions?
When do you walk away — and when do you push through?
How do you talk to customers without losing your mind (or your job)?
At what point do you say “this isn’t safe”?
And how do you keep roaches, grease, and filth from following you home in your tool bag?

If you’re a commercial kitchen equipment technician, HVAC tech, refrigeration tech, service manager, or anyone who’s ever worked behind the scenes in a restaurant — this episode will feel painfully familiar.

It’s gross.
It’s funny.
And it’s 100% real life in the field.

Sponsor Spotlight – Viper from Refrigeration Technologies

While Viper can’t get rid of roaches (and honestly… some of these stories might be beyond saving), they do help tackle one of the biggest contributors to nasty kitchen conditions: grease, grime, and buildup.

Viper from Refrigeration Technologies makes professional-grade cleaners and chemicals designed specifically for HVAC, refrigeration, and commercial kitchen environments. From heavy-duty degreasers to coil cleaners and specialty chemicals, Viper helps techs clean equipment properly, restore efficiency, and leave things better than they found them — even when the surroundings are less than ideal.

Because while you can’t always control how nasty a kitchen gets, you can control how well you clean and service the equipment you’re responsible for.

https://www.refrigtech.com/

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in:
commercial kitchen equipment repair
restaurant service and maintenance
HVAC and refrigeration
foodservice equipment technicians
CFESA-certified technicians
service managers and trainers

Subscribe, follow, and drop your own horror stories in the comments — because if you’ve been in the trade long enough, you’ve definitely got one.

Commercial Kitchen Chronicles — the stories they don’t teach in training.

https://www.commercialkitchenchronicles.com/