MasterChef judge Grace Dent has shared a list of 10 food items she advises diners to avoid ordering in restaurants, citing issues ranging from undercooking and poor preparation to inflated prices. The food critic's controversial picks, revealed on Instagram, include popular brunch staples and high-end dishes.
Dent, who has been a food critic for over a decade, detailed her specific reasons for avoiding these menu items. Her critique targets dishes that she believes are often poorly executed or overpriced, sometimes both.
Dishes to Reconsider
Among the items Dent advises against are poached eggs, particularly when ordered in large brasseries on a Sunday. She suggests that kitchens struggle to prepare a large volume of perfectly poached eggs on demand, leading to them being pre-cooked and reheated, often resulting in an undesirable texture and temperature. Similarly, she warns against ordering steaks that come with elaborate backstories about "40-day aged retired Galician dairy cows" in trendy bistros, often priced around £60 and served on a sharing board.
Full globe artichokes are described by Dent as a "mockery of a farce," while hot chocolate from "whimsical cupcake emporiums" is also flagged for its potential to be overpriced and often served cold after a complex preparation. She also cautions against ordering anything "incredibly complex" on a Monday, suggesting that restaurant staff may be less enthusiastic or equipped to handle demanding dishes at the beginning of the week. Jerusalem artichokes are also on the list, with Dent noting they are a sunflower tuber and can cause digestive discomfort due to their inulin content.
Chilled soups are described as unappealing, sometimes resembling "stomach bile," and are suggested to require reheating. Food served on trains, specifically microwaved sausages, is also deemed unappetizing regardless of the location. Hotel porridge, often found on a la carte menus, is criticized for being excessively expensive and time-consuming to prepare, with Dent humorously recounting the process of a chef resentfully preparing a simple sachet with hot water and passing off jam as a fruit coulis. Finally, optional cheese courses in high-end Michelin-starred restaurants are also discouraged, with Dent pointing to potentially strong cheeses, charcoal crackers, and unusual chutneys.
Dent, who grew up with simple tastes, has often spoken about how her background influences her perspective as a critic. She previously told The Guardian that her meals as a child were often tinned, but she has always been aware of a broader gastronomic world. This unique perspective, she believes, sets her apart from critics with more privileged culinary upbringings.