French chef Alain Ducasse says restaurants safer than home cooking

French chef Alain Ducasse has caused a stir by claiming it's safer to eat in restaurants than at home during the coronavirus crisis.

With France still in an almost total lockdown, including all hospitality venues, the Michelin-starred chef says eating at a restaurant that “takes all the precautions” is the safer option.

“At home where you have to go to your little local supermarket where people are bumping into each other, touching the fruit and not everybody is wearing masks," he told Agence France-Presse (AFP), saying the lockdown had been "catastrophic" for the hospitality sector.

Speaking to 9Honey, Monash University Professor Paul Komesaroff said the chef’s comments were "alarmist".

"Obviously the circumstances in France are very different – in Australia we have less than 7000 cases, in France they have 166,000, and death rates in France are 100 times what they are here," he said.

"I think we're actually managing the provision food through retail outlets well here, and safely, and don't think people should be concerned or worried about going to supermarkets or purchasing food from retail outlets."

Komesaroff did agree that venues could operate safely as restrictions ease using social distancing and increased hygiene measures.

"Whether now or in the relatively near future, it should be possible to safely reopen restaurants for dining in, rather than just takeaway — with certain conditions and precautions having being taken," he told 9Honey.

Sheridan Randall, 30^th April 2020