Gordon Rasmay doesn’t mess around in the kitchen, and he expects the same from the restaurants he works with. The renowned chef dished on all the “red flags” to look for when dining out.
Gordon Ramsay Says Beware of the Specials Board
The “Kitchen Nightmares” alum, 59, previously warned diners to be on the lookout for terms like “world famous” or “best in the country” during a 2017 interview with the Daily Mail.
“When they turn around and tell me it is the ‘famous red lasagne,’ who made it famous?” he questioned. “They start coming up with these terminologies, saying, ‘and the wicked, famous, best in the country profiteroles.’ Who said that? Who named that?”
Ramsay, who has more than 80 restaurants across the globe, also asserts that “specials” are meant to be “special.”
“Specials are there to disappear throughout the evening,” he told Daily Mail. “When they list 10 specials, that’s not special.”
Gordon Ramsay Shares Tips for a Great Dining Experience
According to Ramsay, in order to avoid being placed at a too-small table or “‘getting stuck in the corner like a doorstop” during a romantic night out, restaurant goers should reserve a table for three or four, to improve their chances of landing a four-top table, according to Daily Mail.
In another little-known tip for wine drinkers, the “Hell’s Kitchen” star recommended asking the sommelier for the “bin end” list. A bin end list is typically a list of wines being sold at a discount either due to a damaged label, being a poor seller or an older vintage being rotated out for a new option.
“We have a fear about talking to sommeliers because you think you’re going to be ripped off,” Ramsay told the outler. “So get the sommelier to come up with a great glass or great bottle and give him a price. And make sure it’s under $30 (£23.50).”
Gordon Ramsay Shares Menu Items to Avoid
Ramsay recommends asking the servers whether the “Soup of the Day” was also the “Soup of Yesterday.”
“Ask what yesterday’s soup du jour was before today’s special,” he told Town & Country in 2017. “It may be the case that it’s the soup du month.”
He also dished to LADbible about one burger trend he recommends avoiding altogether.
“First of all, when you stuff a burger, you spoil the texture,” the chef told the outlet. “Burgers need to sit and rest. So, when you temper and mess around by stuffing them with blue cheese or courgette- no, keep it simple and don’t over-garnish it.”
Ramsay explained that “the secret to a great burger: The bun, top and bottom.”
“Then you got some peppery rocket, or some salad, some form of Sriracha, mayo. But you want to see the colour and make sure it’s caramelised,” he said.
