Gordon Ramsay Says This Menu Detail Is A Red Flag You Shouldn't Ignore

Gordon Ramsay has a few decades of knowledge from being a world-famous chef under his belt, so when he doles out restaurant-related advice, we're keen to listen to whatever he has to say. Whether it's dishes to avoid ordering at a restaurant or general info on how to get the most out of your dining experience, Ramsay's insider tips are worth taking into account when you're going out to eat. In an interview with the Daily Mail, chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay shared his golden rules for eating out at a restaurant, and when you should be wary of specials offered.

Most of us have experienced sitting down at a restaurant and being either verbally told or handed a list of the day's specials that the restaurant is running. While they may seem exciting or exclusive, if there are too many listed, that can be a major red flag. "Specials are there to disappear throughout the evening," said Ramsay. "When they list 10 specials, that's not special." Similarly, in terms of specials being meant to disappear, if there is a permanent home for specials on a menu that's not printed daily, those don't really deserve to be called specials, as they aren't temporary. Although Ramsay has some very valid points, don't believe all the myths about daily specials, as you might miss out on something, well, special.

At a restaurant, a special should be just that, something special and fleeting. Some green flags I personally look for in a restaurant offering specials are either a small, separate menu or even a small piece of paper with no more than three specials on it, ideally just two. Another green flag is when the server simply verbally tells you the specials offered that day, and it's even better if they add a "chef just got this amazing tuna in this morning" or another exciting, time-sensitive fact about the reasoning behind the special, like seasonality or a score at the local farmers market. Given this, it can behoove you to know what ingredients are generally in season throughout the year, and try not to order dishes relying on fruits and vegetables that are out of season.

Sometimes a special can be a vehicle for leftovers, but that's not always a bad thing. Scraps of high-quality meats can be ground and turned into amazing pasta dishes or sausages, or the chefs are finding creative ways to reduce their food waste, as well as keep the overall budget in check. Some restaurants will offer monthly specials, which can often be another green flag, where a restaurant will create a dish based on an ingredient or seasonal concept that will be around for a few weeks, rather than just an evening or two. This just means that the chef likely has the confidence that the dish's components should be available for a bit longer, but still fleeting enough to be a temporary feature of the menu.