...  don't I see the contestants on Hell's Kitchen using thermometers? A thermometer is a common tool in the kitchen...and they keep under/overcooking food. Or maybe it's just a rule of the game not to temp check the food. Whatcha' think? I've wondered the same thing ... I worked fine dining for a LOT of years, and literally EVERY serving of beef, chicken, and pork was temped before it was put up. Fish, not always, but definitely so for thicker fillets and those ordered rare-to-medium, such as tuna steaks. Yes it IS possible to temp a piece of meat by feel IF you know how, but it takes experience and it's not foolproof. The cooking method can influence the feel of the meat and the 'touch test' can be misleading. The thickness of the meat is also a factor. A thermometer is the ONLY for-sure method of knowing whether the food is cooked properly. I'm GUESSING that it's 'just a rule of the game', since the show itself seems designed to showcase failure rather than success. If the food items were always (or even usually!) properly cooked, what would Ramsay have to bltch about? I love that show (and Master Chef, too), even with all the theatrics and histrionics. I've had love/hate relationships with a few too many chefs, sous chefs, line cooks, and ...