Gordon Ramsay Says to Never Order This at a Restaurant
When it comes to what to order in restaurants, we think it’s safe to trust Michelin star chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay’s advice. In a resurfaced interview with Town & Country, the Hell’s Kitchen star told the publication back in 2017 the cold hard truth about what really goes on behind the scenes of your favorite restaurants. Ramsay, 57, said there is one dish people should never order when they go out to eat: the soup of the day. “Ask what yesterday’s soup du jour was before today’s special,” Ramsay said. “It may be the case that it’s the soup du month,” insinuating that restaurants would use old produce to pass it off as a special.
Ramsay’s Advice For Ordering
In the same interview, Ramsay said if your food or service is terrible, do not hesitate to let the staff know. Not only should the staff rectify it for you and for future customers, but it is your special night out, and the “customer is king.” And when it comes to not knowing what to eat at a restaurant, Ramsay says to ask the waiter. They tend to taste most of the dishes on the menu, so they can give insight into what the chef has added or what other diners have thought about the dish. In his travels, Ramsay admitted he’s gotten a lot of great recommendations from servers.
Finally, in the debate on the best “doneness” for steak, Ramsay agrees that ordering a steak well done is a no-no. He told the publication that the problem with over-cooking meats is that it “diminishes the flavor and incredible texture, so listen to the chef’s recommendation or always stick to cooking medium at most.” Per USDA guidelines, steak should be cooked to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit and rest for at least three minutes. According to Food Network, medium-cooked steak is from 135 to 140 degrees, while medium-well ranges from 140 to 150 degrees. These temperatures are considered safe by many chefs and cooking experts, but extra caution must be exercised when cooking for at-risk groups, like the elderly, children under seven years old, and the immunocompromised.
Caution: 6 Foods You May Want to Avoid at Restaurants
Tap Water
Even with filtration in place, restaurant water might not be as pristine as one would assume. A study conducted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that approximately 3-10% of water systems in North America have annually violated health standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and this includes restaurants, as reported by the water filtration company, Quench. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find germs and chemicals in restaurant tap water that could potentially affect the health of patrons. Common impurities detected in tap water supplies consist of microorganisms like bacteria, germs, parasites, and viruses, as well as substances like lead, chlorine, aluminum, pesticides, and others.
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Raw Sprouts
If sprouts aren’t properly stored and cleaned, they can become quite risky. Unfortunately, when ordering food at a restaurant, we may not witness this process. Sprouts are commonly cultivated in warm, moist conditions, which makes them an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, according to Health Digest. Recent outbreaks of E. coli and Salmonella have been potentially linked to these greens.
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Drink Garnishes
Bartenders often don’t have to follow the same stringent sanitary standards as the kitchen staff. As a result, the fruits used in drinks are likely to be unwashed, and they might sit out for days without refrigeration. According to Good Housekeeping, it’s worth giving a second thought to that citrus fruit you might be adding to your drink while dining out. A study revealed that 70% of these sliced fruits carry “over 25 different types of germs.” Contrary to popular belief, even alcohol doesn’t seem to do the trick in killing these germs. Good Morning America visited six restaurants and discovered that the lemons were teeming with “fecal matter” and even harbored the dreaded E. coli bacteria.
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Fish
Consider giving those impromptu “All-You-Can-Eat” fish special days a second thought. The fish served on such occasions is often leftovers from a shipment received a few days prior, which means it may not be at its freshest. According to Healthline, fish not stored at the proper temperature might become contaminated with a toxin known as histamine, which is produced by bacteria in the fish. Moreover, Healthline highlights that cooking at regular temperatures does not eliminate histamine, making it a potential cause of food poisoning.
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Bottled Ketchup
Whether your ketchup bottle is already on the table at a restaurant or brought to you by the server, chances are it has been handled by multiple people throughout the day or even longer. Making it a potential carrier of germs. Reader’s Digest explains that the reason these same bottles keep circulating is that the ketchup in each of them is often “married.” This means that as the volume of ketchup decreases in individual bottles, servers will combine the contents of several bottles into one. However, there is a downside to this practice: you may end up consuming ketchup of an unknown age or expiration date, leading to an unpleasant taste.
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Fresh Squeezed Juices
It might be worth reconsidering your choice, just as you skip adding garnishes to your drink. Freshly squeezed juices can be teamed with bacteria, unlike pasteurized juices. A study conducted by the MSU Extension reveals that most commercially sold juices in the United States are processed or pasteurized to eliminate harmful foodborne illness bacteria. However, when fruits are freshly squeezed into juice, there is a risk of harmful bacteria lingering in the finished product.
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