Part 3/6:
Reports from previous years, particularly around 1913, depict a grim reality for the immigrants relying on the island's dining services. A chef who worked on the island during that time disclosed disturbing truths about the food served: "during my first two weeks there, I complained to the manager that the beef was rotten and showed it to them. They agreed with me that the beef was rotten, but I had to use it for the immigrants.” Such accounts suggest an alarming negligence concerning food safety and quality.
This wasn't an isolated incident; the same chef noted that the kitchen often served fish that was so spoiled it was unfit for consumption. These examples illustrate a dire culinary landscape that starkly contrasts with the more palatable offerings noted just a few years later.