The Reason Anthony Bourdain Avoided Ordering Ranch At Restaurants
Let's face it, ranch dressing pairs well with some of the most delicious foods you can order like a slice of greasy cheese pizza or deep-fried chicken tenders. Still, there's one culinary royal who once said he'd never order ranch at a restaurant. If you haven't guessed who, it was the late great chef, television host, and writer Anthony Bourdain.
Bourdain agreed with the controversial statement in The Washington Post that ranch "is what's wrong with America." During an interview with First We Feast, Bourdain stated, "It's not a flavor I particularly understand," when asked about the most popular dressing in the U.S. He also claimed he didn't want it on his chicken wings, so perhaps he was more into blue cheese?
Still, it seems not even someone with a refined palate like Bourdain could totally resist the delicious flavor combination of buttermilk, onion and garlic, and herbs like dill and parsley. That's because he'd enjoy it "probably all alone with no one watching." (We've all got our culinary guilty pleasures we keep to ourselves, right?)
Ranch can cover up the flavors in your dish
Why was the late Bourdain so against the creamy and herby ranch dressing? He suggested it was "cheap" and may overwhelm the nuanced taste of ingredients in certain dishes. He may have a point when it comes to slathering ranch on perfectly good food, and unless you're lucky enough to walk into a restaurant who makes its ranch dressing in house, you'll probably be served a store-bought version that has some sort of artificial flavors and preservatives.
It certainly wasn't because of the relatively low cost of store-bought ranch dressings — Bourdain was big on the fact that good food didn't have to cost a lot, so perhaps he just considered it a quick fix that yielded less-than-appealing results and just wasn't worth it. Either way, in the vein of Bourdain, before you slather your next slice of pizza or chicken wing with ranch — ask yourself, "Does this food really need it?"