Why Gordon Ramsay Warns Diners Against Ordering This Affordable Dish

Gordon Ramsay is many things: TV personality, best-selling author, Michelin-star restaurateur, and above all, unapologetically honest. He doesn't sugarcoat things, and while that directness can sometimes put people off — whether that's telling us why he never eats on planes or revealing the reasons why chefs are using truffle oil wrong. At the end of the day, Ramsay is a true authority in the restaurant world, overseeing establishments worldwide and earning seven Michelin stars. His flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, has held the coveted three Michelin stars for over two decades, which means his advice is worth listening to, no matter how it comes across. During an interview with Town&Country, one piece of advice Ramsay gave was to avoid ordering one certain dish: the soup du jour (soup of the day). Why? According to Ramsey, "Ask what yesterday's soup du jour was before today's special. It may be the case that it's the soup du month."

Soup du jour refers to a soup that is made fresh each day and is different from other soups on the menu. Gordon's tongue-in-cheek comment, however, suggests that "yesterday's soup du jour" might just be making a second appearance, the very same pot being reheated rather than a brand new batch. So this comment is half-joke, half-warning, and if you ask the right questions, you might find out that today's special isn't so special after all. At the same time, this comment also highlights a common policy in restaurants, which is to minimize waste as much as possible. Margins on restaurants can be incredibly tight, and food waste is a growing global issue, so it's little wonder that, sometimes, eateries reuse what they can.

If you've ever watched Gordon Ramsay in action, you know he never holds back when something displeases him. From trends and poorly executed dishes to unconventional ingredients, he says it how he sees it. Take Wagyu, for example, a highly prized breed of Japanese cattle known for its unique rearing and feeding process, resulting in exceptional marbling. According to Ramsey, in an interview with PopSugar, "Because [Wagyu's] a special cut. It needs to be treated with a little bit of respect. Everywhere you go now, there's f***ing Wagyu meatballs. Preserve it a little bit. Rest it. Allow it to become special." Ramsay did not dismiss Wagyu itself; in fact, he respects the Japanese beef, but he has no patience for the fad of turning it into gimmicky dishes. The sentiment echoes Anthony Bourdain's own disdain for Kobe sliders, another case of a luxury ingredient being reduced to a novelty.

Alongside a dislike of fads, certain unique ingredients are an instant no for Gordon. While filming an episode of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted," the celebrity chef was served up a bowl of sauteed bugs; he took one bite, and immediately went to spit out, describing it as a "crispy cockroach" — which, in fairness, might have been the point (per YouTube). In another episode of the same show, he had the opportunity to try an Icelandic delicacy — fermented shark (or Hákarl). However, this received the same treatment: being spat out. Even after removing it from his mouth, he had to take a moment on the ground to recover from the taste.