Martín Berasategui

I served a culinary stage (internship)in early 2008 at Restaurante Martin Berasategui. My direct observation is that health codes are nonexistent in Spain, the interns (45 of them) were given room and board but unfortunately that meant sleeping on cots in the crowded basement of the restaurant, and the kitchen staff was completely indifferent to the well being of the interns. The daily meals for us consisted of two day old bottom of the barrel leftovers and in some cases food that had gone bad: ie: warm rancid ham. If I were a paying customer I would want to know what goes on behind the scenes, including how the restaurant treats the staff. It's a little like the Wizard of Oz,"...pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" Well, if I were you I would ask myself if I want to support a restaurant owner who only cares about the paid staff and about how the 'front of house' looks.