What the cluck: Diner at Prego upset about undercooked chicken

One family simply wanted to have a nice meal together at Italian restaurant Prego, but their mood was ruined after they were served undercooked chicken. 

"I genuinely had the worst experience here. This is not okay," said the diner, Sarah Rose Caudal, in a TikTok slideshow uploaded on Monday (May 1). 

The 18-year-old visited the restaurant earlier that day with her parents and her mother ordered a dish of spring chicken and mixed roast vegetables, which cost $40. 

When it was served, Caudal's mother eagerly tucked into her food.

Slicing the chicken open, she realised it was undercooked. 

"I was very upset as raw chicken can be really dangerous to consume," Caudal told AsiaOne on Tuesday (May 2). 

To rub salt to the wound, the family said they did not have an easy time with the manager. 

"The manager came and was not very understanding and was making a lot of excuses in regards to the chicken, saying it was cooked for two hours, which is hard to believe," Caudal recounted. 

"Not only was the chicken raw, but the service was also unpleasant." 

Sashimi? 

Netizens were shocked by the undercooked chicken and in the comments section, several called it "medium rare" and "sashimi", while another voiced concern over salmonella. 

But there were others who felt that as long as the restaurant acknowledged their mistake, it was all right. 

One woman, who claimed to be a chef, said that pink chicken doesn't mean raw chicken. 

She added the chicken may have been cooked via the sous vide method — food placed in a plastic pouch in water bath for longer than usual cooking times at certain temperatures — to maintain juiciness. 

A Prego spokesperson told Shin Min Daily News that the restaurant is looking into the matter following customer feedback.

"We have contacted the affected customer and are committed to delivering an exceptional dining experience for our patrons," it said.

While this is an isolated case, its culinary team will review its processes and implement additional training to maintain quality and safety, if necessary.

According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), raw food can contain dangerous micro-organisms which can cause food-borne diseases.

"Thorough cooking helps to kill all the harmful bacteria in food," said SFA.

Pink meat is not thoroughly cooked and food should be cooked at high temperatures above 75 degrees Celsius. 

One should also ensure the centre of meat and poultry are well-cooked as partially cooked food increases risk of bacterial growth, the agency explained.

ALSO READ: Family served uncooked chicken due to faulty steam oven at Lao Huo Tang restaurant

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melissateo@asiaone.com