BANTUU story:

The Dog Cookie Store: take whatever you can get from the kitchen

Sure, a dog doesn't know the difference between food that is kept for 'later' and food that is supposed to be eaten right away. Food is food, basta! Eat whatever fits in your stomach, that's the motto.
I know, all dogs are like that, however, in conjunction with Rhodesian Ridgebacks you'll find the expression 'counter top surfer' quite often.

Ridgebacks == (equals) Counter top surfers

Their seize allows them easily to inspect tables and counter tops and, if necessary, to jump upon them. For dog training purposes we like that Rhodesian Ridgebacks are so easily to motivate by luring them with doggie treats - when it comes to the kitchen, we (humans) do not like the idea so much that a Ridgeback does everything to get the 'forbidden' people food.

How I learned about the fact the Rhodesian Ridgebacks cannot be left alone with food in the kitchen

The typical Ridgeback can eat, and eat, and eat, and stops not before he can barely move anymore. You ask "how do you know"? BANTUU seems to fit the typical behavior description for the breed and there was a day, shortly after his adoption, when I was unaware of measures they take to get food. On the kitchen counter top were two closed cookie jars and I had to leave the house for an hour not knowing what that would mean to the cookie jars. To cut the story short: I came back, opened the door and a happy BANTUU greeted me... but very briefly and went straight to his doggie bed. A few seconds later I entered the kitchen und knew what fun he had in that hour. Altogether the cookie jars contained about 4 pounds of cookies and only a few ones were still to be found on the floor which looked like a battle field.
Ridgebacks are large, correct, and they have no personal problem to surf counter tops in search for yummy stuff! Lesson learned! By the way, BANTUU slept the entire afternoon and through the night, nearly without moving: he was just FULL!

result: 2 cookie jars on the kitchen floor - only 3-4 cookies left!

Ridgeback's hunting grounds are not only kitchens!

The modern-day Rhodesian Ridgeback is kind of 'unemployed'. Back in the days their pack leaders (=the human master) had exciting ideas of how to spend time: looking for lions, harassing them, and being rewarded afterwards with large meals. Well, these days are over and a typical day consists of doing walks in the neighborhood, sleeping on the sofa, and may be a drive in the car. The closest thing to a lion is a neighbor's cat! And no reward afterwards for chasing them!

So, the modern-day Ridgeback must adapt to this urban life-style and must seek other hunting grounds: the African savannah is replaced by an American or European kitchen or car.
Bantuu's other favorite hunting ground is the car and he has become more successful there than in the kitchen recently. Reason is that we became more diligent regarding putting everything away in the kitchen before we leave, even lock the door to the basement where his food is stored. But when we drive somewhere in the car there's certainly often something to eat somewhere in the car. Either cookies (for humans), chocolate bars, or Bantuu's treats. And... sometimes it just happens that we forget to put everything away when we get out of the car and leave him in there.
The scenario which follows after we get out of the car is always reproducible: he immediately goes to the front seats, inspects every single inch of the car, from floor mats to dashboard and once in a while... he again has success and finds something we missed! So, I guess, he deserves it.

If you are thinking about getting a Rhodesian Ridgeback be always reminded that they steal wherever a opportunity shows up!

post scriptum: just recently we had guests for dinner over and the moment when they left and everybody was at the door... Bantuu cleaned up meaning he quickly stole the rest of the dessert cake which was left unattended on the table. Hunting successful, story...end!