Gordon Ramsay's 'golden rule' for eating in restaurants to avoid disappointment

31 January 2024 , 14:03

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Gordon Ramsay's tips will ensure you're never disappointed with your meal (Image: FOX Image Collection via Getty Images)

Gordon Ramsay's key rule for dining at restaurants ensures you'll never be disappointed with your order.

When you go out for dinner, what do you order? Are you the type of person who tries something different every time, or do you stay in your comfort zone? Sometimes, even ordering a dish you normally enjoy can be risky if you've never eaten at the restaurant before. Thankfully, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has shared his expert tips on how to ensure you're never disappointed with the meal you order - and it's all to do with where the item is located on the menu.

Gordon, who currently holds seven Michelin stars, said he has four "golden rules" for eating out at restaurants that almost guarantee he'll have a good time. The first rule is all about what he orders - as he never gets anything from a restaurant's specials board. Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2017, he said: "Specials are there to disappear throughout the evening. When they list 10 specials, that's not special."

Gordon also insisted he never believes restaurants that boast about their "famous" dishes, unless the staff can prove exactly why the dish has been given that title. He argued: "They start coming up with these terminologies, saying 'and the wicked, famous, best in the country profiteroles'. Who said that? Who named that?"

The chef's next rule is more of a life hack on how to secure the best table. He said that if you're going for dinner with your partner, you should always make your reservation for three people so that you're guaranteed a bigger table. Gordon also said that by doing this, you will avoid "getting stuck in the corner" or on less favourable tables such as the ones next to the toilets, which tend to be small tables for two.

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And finally, Gordon shared a top tip for ordering wine at a restaurant. He recommended asking for the "bin end" list, which includes bottles with scratched labels, vintages that are about to be rotated out, or poor sellers that the restaurant wants to get rid of. This will ensure you get the most reasonably priced bottles, and you could still find some hidden gems.

He added: "We have a fear about talking to sommeliers because you think you're going to be ripped off. So get the sommelier to come up with a great glass or great bottle and give him a price. And make sure it's under $30 (£23.50)."

Zahna Eklund