MSNBC: Ex-cook faces jail after putting hair in steak ("These are my pubes")

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Ex-cook faces jail after putting hair in steak
Restaurant worker admits tampering with dissatisfied customer's meal

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25291195/

Sat., June. 21, 2008

WEST BEND, Wis. - A former restaurant cook has pleaded guilty to inserting hairs in a steak before giving it to a dissatisfied customer.

Ryan Kropp, 24, of West Bend, Wis., was fired along with another cook after the incident Feb. 23 at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant.

Kropp was charged in Washington County Circuit Court with a felony of placing foreign objects in edibles, carrying up to 3 1/2 years in prison.

After his guilty plea Thursday, Judge James Muehlbauer scheduled sentencing Aug. 12.

The criminal complaint said that when a manager asked a customer how his steak was, the customer said it was somewhat overdone, although he had almost finished eating it and refused an offer of a new steak.

But the manager insisted on having Kropp prepare a new steak the way the customer wanted it, medium rare, so that he could take it home.

The customer called the restaurant and police after finding hair as he was eating the steak the next day.

'Trying to get free stuff'
According to the complaint, a second kitchen worker told police Kropp had put a slit in the cooked steak and pushed something inside, then stated, "These are my pubes," referring to pubic hair.

Kropp told police he put a few of his facial hairs on the steak, saying he was angry the customer sent the other steak back and thought he was "just trying to get free stuff," the complaint said.

[Deja Q]

1. "Scott Tenorman Must Die!"

Gah. Where do people get these ideas from, anyway - South Park?!

And, oh my, he's 24. What a freakin' shock...

[GCP]

3. That was a classic!

Thanks for the laugh :D

[Callalily]

2. That's totally disgusting.

The customer refused a different steak by the manager, but the manager insisted. That totally blows the ex-chef's free-steak theory.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. The customer's actions are irrelevant.

There is no circumstance where it would be acceptable for the staff to adulterate the food this way. I'm sure there are customers who make the staff WANT to do something like this, but that's no excuse.

[Carnea]

5. 6 months as this man's dog's body ought to straighten him out.