Vinepair iconVinepairSep 17, 2026

We Asked 8 Chefs: What’s the One Dish You Never Order at a Restaurant?

More than other regular diners, chefs have a firsthand understanding of what goes on behind the scenes at restaurants. They know the dishes made with low-cost ingredients that are then highly marked up, the kinds of meals professional kitchens just can't deliver on, and the typical days certain food orders come in.

We Asked 8 Chefs: What’s the One Dish You Never Order at a Restaurant?

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More than other regular diners, chefs have a firsthand understanding of what goes on behind the scenes at restaurants.

They know the dishes made with low-cost ingredients that are then highly marked up, the kinds of meals professional kitchens just can't deliver on, and the typical days certain food orders come in.

(Remember Anthony Bourdain's infamous tip to not order fish at restaurants on Mondays because seafood orders tend to arrive on Tuesdays?) They also have specific palates.

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More than other regular diners, chefs have a firsthand understanding of what goes on behind the scenes at restaurants. They know the dishes made with low-cost ingredients that are then highly marked up, the kinds of meals professional kitchens just can't deliver on, and the typical days certain food orders come in. (Remember Anthony Bourdain's infamous tip to not order fish at restaurants on Mondays because seafood orders tend to arrive on Tuesdays?) They also have specific palates.

How it works

  • Cooks are constantly tasting the ingredients and dishes that go in and out of their kitchens.

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What's the One Dish You Never Order at a Restaurant?

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