👧👦 Talk Boosters – Topic 37: 🎙️ Topic: “Which is More Important in Restaurants: Taste of Food or Cleanliness?”

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3 Jul, 2025

🗣️ Talk Boosters – Topic: “Which is More Important in Restaurants: Taste of Food or Cleanliness?”

🧑‍🏫 Instructions for Students:
Speak for 3–5 minutes giving your opinion. Use real examples if possible.

Try using phrases like:
👉 I think..., In my opinion..., Some people say..., I strongly believe..., From my experience..., I feel that...

Focus on using:

✅ Simple present
✅ Modal verbs (should, must, can’t, shouldn’t)
✅ Cause-effect words (because, so, that’s why)

🗣️ Sample Speech Starter:

Hello everyone,

Today, I want to share my opinion on a common question: Which is more important in restaurants — the taste of food or cleanliness?

In my opinion, cleanliness is more important. Food may be tasty, but if the place is dirty, it can make people sick. A clean restaurant shows care and responsibility. It builds trust.

Of course, we all love tasty food. But taste should never come before hygiene. I once went to a small restaurant where the food smelled great, but the plates were greasy and the kitchen looked unclean. After eating there, my friend fell sick. That experience taught me a lesson.

I feel that restaurants must follow hygiene rules. The staff should wear gloves, clean uniforms, and keep the kitchen tidy. The tables, washrooms, and utensils should also be clean.

That said, I believe good restaurants can offer both — tasty food and cleanliness. Why should we choose one when both are possible?

To conclude, taste is important, but cleanliness comes first. We eat to enjoy, but also to stay healthy. Without cleanliness, taste has no value.

Thank you.

❓ Follow-up Questions:

1️⃣ Have you ever eaten at a place that was tasty but not clean?
2️⃣ Do you check the hygiene of a restaurant before eating?
3️⃣ What are some signs of a clean restaurant?
4️⃣ Is street food usually clean or not? Why?
5️⃣ What should restaurant workers do to keep food safe?
6️⃣ Would you return to a restaurant that was tasty but dirty?
7️⃣ What can the government do to improve restaurant hygiene?
8️⃣ Should restaurants display cleanliness ratings?
9️⃣ What matters more to you when you travel: clean hotel food or tasty local food?
🔟 Can we enjoy food fully if the environment is not clean?

SAMPLE 2/2

“ Hello everyone,

I’m here to talk about a very common question: “What is more important in restaurants — taste or cleanliness?”

In my opinion, both are important. But if I have to choose one, I would say cleanliness is more important. Taste is temporary, but health is permanent.

Many people enjoy tasty food. Street food, fried snacks, spicy curries — all are very tempting. But we must think about how that food is made.

I have seen many street food stalls where the cook uses bare hands, without gloves. Sometimes the same hands are used to take money and touch food. That is very risky. Even while kneading dough or preparing snacks, some vendors don’t wash hands at all.

In big hotels also, everything looks clean from outside. Nice tables, clean uniforms, soft lights. But what about the kitchen? We cannot see it. In many places, the kitchen is not clean. Oil is reused again and again. Some hotels even add food colour or chemicals to improve taste and appearance.

I also want to talk about banana leaves. In Kerala, we have a tradition of serving meals on banana leaves. It is beautiful, eco-friendly, and feels good. But in some hotels, they don’t wash the banana leaves properly. Sometimes, there are bird droppings or small insects or even worm marks. These can be poisonous. If the leaves are washed well and heated slightly, it is very safe. But this step is often skipped.

In street hotels, they also use dirty knives, cloths, or old frying oil. There is a risk of food poisoning, stomach infections, and more. We need better awareness. Cooks should use gloves, tongs, and clean surfaces — just like in western countries.

Another serious problem is the quality of water. Many hotels use river water or muddy water without cleaning or filtering it. In many cities, there is no access to pure water. But we never ask where the water comes from. We just drink tea and enjoy it. Sadly, many shops use this unsafe water for tea, curries, and even ice cubes.

In some hotels, water is stored in dirty drums or open plastic tanks. This can cause many health problems. But customers are unaware.

I also want to mention the use of banned plastic. In many tea shops and hotels, they still use thin plastic covers for packing hot snacks and curries. This is dangerous. When hot food touches banned plastic, chemicals get mixed with the food. This may cause serious health issues like cancer. Still, government authorities don’t take strong action. Every shop uses such plastic without fear.

I have a personal experience with this. One day I bought a hot masala dosa wrapped in plastic. When I reached home, I saw that the plastic had melted and stuck to the food. I had to throw it away. It made me think seriously about food safety.

That said, Kerala is still better than many other states. In many parts of India, street food hygiene is far worse. In some famous cities, food is kept open in dust and flies. Water used is dirty. The oil is black. No one wears a cap or gloves. Compared to that, Kerala does follow better hygiene rules — no doubt about it.

But we still have to improve. Just having tasty food is not enough. We need restaurants and food stalls that care about people’s health. Clean plates, clean hands, clean kitchens — these should be basic.

Of course, tasty food makes us happy. We all want to enjoy good food. But would you enjoy it if you fall sick the next day? Cleanliness gives us peace of mind. It builds trust. A clean kitchen means the owners respect their customers.

In the end, I believe both taste and hygiene should go together. But if we must choose one, let’s choose cleanliness. Because food should not only fill our stomachs — it should keep us safe too.

Thank you. ”