What Is A 'Soup Du Jour', Really?

The idiom "from soup to nuts" probably isn't as popular as it used to be when soup was the first course of a full-course restaurant meal. But soup is still an integral menu item, and the phrase "soup du jour" remains as popular as other French jargon to which we've become accustomed. You'll also see soup du jour on many American menus in its English form — soup of the day. Because soup has always been a menu item that's comforting, versatile, and affordable, dine-in restaurants began to offer soup regularly. Restaurateurs also began to find themselves with leftover fresh meats and vegetables that needed to be rotated quickly, so a soup du jour was an efficient way to make use of the leftovers. Rather than having types of soup that were fixtures on the menu, serving a soup of the day made chefs' jobs easier.

So should you think twice about ordering the soup of the day? It depends. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has famously said that he tends to stay away from the soup du jour for fear it's either made with expiring ingredients, or it's been recycling itself for a longer time than a day. Some diners may also have feelings about soup that's been sitting in a stockpot for hours when they are interested in freshly prepared food served on the spot. Don't worry though, there are ways to cash in on the soup of the day experience when you know what's really cooking.

There's another thing about soup du jour that you should know, especially if you're inherently a soup lover. Chefs who pride themselves on creativity and using fresh, local, or seasonal ingredients are doing just that with their soup. You don't necessarily need to fear a soup du jour — oftentimes it's freshly made. Chefs today also have the ability to pull flash-frozen ingredients that allow them to prepare the soup they want to serve without having to create a soup that's based on a hodgepodge of leftovers.

But how can you be sure you're getting the soup of the day and not the soup of last week? Ask the server if it was made fresh that day. Ask about the ingredients: Soup that's prepared with ingredients that are considered highly perishable (fresh fish, seafood, certain types of dairy) is meant to be eaten the same day it was cooked. Soups du jour to look for include seafood chowder or bisque, bouillabaisse, gumbo, cioppino, and most cream-based soups.  Sometimes you have to place your trust in the cook and the type of restaurant or menu. A good chef will prepare and present a soup du jour they consider perfect. A classical French onion soup du jour is probably a great bet on a bistro menu, for example. Put some trust in the restaurant with these tips, and the soup du jour may just be the best part of your meal.