Editor’s note: This column was originally posted on barfblog.com on Dec. 7 under the headline “Chipotle CEO Ells uses the bare hand touch test for meat doneness.”

Chipotle, one of our favorite barfblog topics, is in the news again as CEO Steve Ells appeared on the “Today Show” to talk woes associated with recovery from 2015’s multiple outbreaks.

Ells says the slow recovery is because their service sucks now. I dunno.

I like to get my real and fake news on the Internet, and consume digital stuff, so I checked out the Newsy video of Ells walking through a Chipotle kitchen.

At 10 seconds the guy who wrote, “We deployed robust, industry leading new food safety procedures in our restaurants including new handling procedures for produce, citrus and meats as well as comprehensive sanitizing protocols” pokes at a piece of meat on the grill. I’m guessing to check for doneness, with his bare hands.

Steve, a good food safety culture starts at the top. Model safe practices for your staff, mix in a thermometer and some gloves.

Author information: Ben Chapman is an associate professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. As a teenager, a Saturday afternoon viewing of the classic cable movie, “Outbreak” sparked his interest in pathogens and public health. With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group designs, implements, and evaluates food safety strategies, messages and media from farm-to-fork. Through reality-based research, Chapman investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers and organizational decision-makers. Chapman co-hosts a biweekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and tries to further engage folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. He is also a regular contributor to barfblog.com.

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