The One Dish Gordon Ramsay Would Never Order In A Restaurant

Gordon Ramsay is well-known for his high culinary standards, as well as his explosive temper when those standards aren't met by chefs, restaurant owners, and hotel managers. He's amassed 17 Michelin stars throughout his career thus far, so his insight on restaurant menus is invaluable to the rest of us just as much as it is to those employed in the culinary industry. In 2017, Ramsay gave a brief interview to Town & Country, in which he revealed the one dish you should never order at a restaurant: soup of the day.

Soup of the day is supposed to be different every day, prepared fresh and exclusive to the daily menu. But Ramsay advised caution even if you think it sounds good. "Ask what yesterday's soup du jour was before today's special. It may be the case that it's the soup du month," he mused. When soup of the day is not made fresh, it's likely cooked in large batches and then served over several days, therefore belonging on the list of soups you should never order. Ramsay's warning reminds us of an old episode of "Kitchen Nightmares," in which he found out from the server that the soup of the day listed on the menu had actually been served every day that week. Later in the episode, Ramsay hilariously discovered the restaurant owner had no idea the phrase meant a different soup each day. Definitely check if the restaurant you're dining at understands the purpose of this dish.

The trend of serving a new soup every day arose simultaneously with dine-in culture. Restaurants were facing daily leftovers of different grains, vegetables, and meats. To avoid tossing the food and wasting it, clever chefs began turning the leftovers into soups. Because the ingredients were so spontaneous, each soup was only on the menu for a single day. Today, soups of the day are often planned ahead, with some restaurants rotating them on a schedule, but they still represent the part of the menu where chefs can express their creativity and (ideally) build the daily soups around the ingredients that are currently in season. That is, if restaurants actually take the initiative and make a fresh soup every day. As Ramsay discovered for himself, the reality is often different.

Speaking to the server about the freshness of the soup is still your best bet — as is asking them for a recommendation about what to order, says Ramsay. Waiters know what's worth the price; they've likely sampled most of the menu and even have their own favorites. Because of their direct contact with the customers, they also know which dishes receive compliments and which are met with disappointment.