Fresh Kitchen USF — Restaurant in Temple Terrace

I wanted to bring you to your attention that after looking into your ingredients that what's being used in your sauces don't really compliment all the other great decisions that you've made as it relates to ingredients

Please consider moving Pomace/EVOO Blend and replacing it with the olive oil that you use and all your other foods.

hexane Is a terrible chemical. You could read more about it below the refining process.

Refined olive pomace oil, often referred to as "pure" or "refined olive oil," is produced by first extracting the initial oil from the olives, then refining the remaining pulp (pomace) using solvent extraction and a refining process before blending it with a small percentage of virgin olive oil. This refined pomace oil is then mixed with virgin olive oil to create the final blended product. Here's a more detailed breakdown: Pomace Collection: The pomace, which is the dry pulp remaining after the initial oil extraction, is collected.

Solvent Extraction: A solvent, typically hexane, is used to extract the remaining oil from the pomace.

Refining: The extracted pomace oil is refined through a series of processes including neutralization to reduce acidity, bleaching to remove pigments, and deodorization to remove any lingering solvent or undesirable odors.

Blending: The refined pomace oil is blended with a small percentage of virgin or extra virgin olive oil to improve its flavor and taste.

Packaging and Distribution: The blended oil is then packaged and distributed for sale.

Hexane, or n-hexane, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C_6H_{14}. It is a straight-chain alkane consisting of six carbon atoms.

Here's a breakdown of its key characteristics: Source: Hexane is primarily derived from crude oil refining. Appearance and Odor: Pure hexane is a colorless liquid with a slightly disagreeable or gasoline-like odor. Flammability: It is highly flammable, and its vapors can be explosive when mixed with air. Volatility: Hexane is a volatile liquid, meaning it evaporates easily. Solubility: It is insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents like ethanol, ethyl ether, and chloroform. Reactivity: Like most alkanes, hexane exhibits low reactivity, making it suitable as a solvent for reactive compounds.

Uses of Hexane: Hexane is widely used as a solvent in various industries and applications: Oil Extraction: A major use is in the extraction of edible oils from seeds and vegetables (e.g., soybeans, peanuts, corn).

Industrial Solvent: It's used as a solvent for glues (like rubber cement and adhesives), varnishes, and inks.

Cleaning Agent: Hexane serves as a cleaning agent or degreaser in industries such as printing, textiles, furniture, and shoemaking.

Laboratory Use: Pure hexane is used in laboratories for various purposes, including oil and grease extraction from water and soil for analysis, and as a non-polar solvent in chromatography.

Consumer Products: It can be found in some consumer products like gasoline, quick-drying glues, and certain arts and crafts paints.

Pharmaceuticals: Used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical ingredients and in purifying intermediates during drug manufacturing.

Dangers and Health Effects: Despite its widespread use, hexane poses several health risks and safety concerns:

Flammability and Explosion Hazard: Its high flammability makes it a significant fire and explosion risk. Inhalation: The most common route of exposure is inhalation.

Acute (short-term) exposure: Can cause mild central nervous system (CNS) effects, including dizziness, giddiness, slight nausea, headache, and lightheadedness. It can also irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Chronic (long-term) exposure: Associated with sensorimotor polyneuropathy, a type of nerve damage. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, muscular weakness, and blurred vision in the extremities (hands and feet). In severe cases, it can lead to muscle wasting and paralysis. Skin and Eye Contact: Can cause irritation,...

Overwhelmingly Pleased!!

My company recently held a corporate event that required catering to three different locations at varying times, and I cannot express how overwhelmingly pleased I am with USF Fresh Kitchen's service and execution. From start to finish, the entire process was seamless and stress-free, and the food was good. From my initial inquiry, their catering team was incredibly responsive, professional, and attentive to every detail. Thanks to Rachel (catering manager) for her amazing work with us! She worked closely with us to craft menus that suited each location and time slot, taking into account dietary restrictions and preferences with ease. Their expertise made the planning stages a breeze, and I felt completely confident that everything would run smoothly. On the day of the event, we were very pleased with the service provided by USF Fresh Kitchen. The deliveries to all three locations were on time, and the food arrived fresh, and individually packaged. Our attendees were most pleased with the quality, variety, and dietary considerations of the dishes. It's rare to find a caterer that can handle such logistical complexity with such flawless execution, but Fresh Kitchen did just that. Beyond the incredible food service, staff were friendly, efficient, and Rachel went above and beyond to ensure everything was...

I had one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve ever encountered at Fresh Kitchen today. I ordered my food to go and was handed a bowl with no lid and no bag. Not only is that careless, but it also shows a complete disregard for basic customer needs and hygiene standards. When I brought this up to an employee, I was met with dismissiveness and zero accountability. It was clear they couldn’t care less.

Even more concerning were the sanitary violations I witnessed. Employees were wearing the same gloves while touching registers, food containers, and ingredients—without changing them. That’s completely unacceptable. To top it off, they placed plastic sauce cups directly on top of the food, which should never happen. It’s lazy, unsanitary, and shows a total lack of food safety awareness.

Fresh Kitchen needs a serious overhaul in both customer service training and sanitation protocols. I left feeling frustrated, disrespected, and honestly disgusted. I won’t be returning, and I strongly urge others to think twice before eating here unless major...