Plush or pared back, flatteringly lit or full-on disco camp, a TikTokkable loo is now part of the hospitality experienceAnthony Bourdain was typically forthright when it came to his expectations for the toilet facilities in a food business. “I won’t eat in a restaurant with filthy bathrooms,” wrote the late chef and author, in his seminal, turn-of-the-millennium memoir Kitchen Confidential.
“This isn’t a hard call. They let you see the bathrooms. If the restaurant can’t be bothered to replace the puck in the urinal or keep the toilets and floors clean, then just imagine what their refrigeration and work spaces look like.” Setting aside the fact that, in later life, Bourdain softened his stance (“Some of the best food experiences I’ve ever had [have been in] places where they really don’t give a shit [about bathroom cleanliness],” were his words…