People often ask if I am hypercritical when I eat in restaurants or other peoples’ homes.
The answer is always, “No.” Emphatically.
I’ve always said that my favorite meal is the one that someone else cooked for me. Most working chefs would probably agree.
The social life of a chef and his or her spouse is virtually non-existent for a couple of reasons. First, the hours we work. Second, we tend to intimidate those who might otherwise invite us over for a social evening if food is involved.
I give you my word: A hamburger is fine. So is a one pot meal prepared in your crock pot. It’s the company, not the food, that’s important. Promise.
My wife and I enjoy entertaining in our home and there’s always something to eat. Too frequently we hear our guests tell us that they wouldn’t know where or how they could entertain us in a similar fashion.
We don’t mind. Really. We’re interested in you, not your food. The only time I judge another cook is when it’s a sanctioned competition.
As for restaurants, we all have our favorites. And we’re adventurous by nature, so we’re always anxious to try some place new. We’re rooting for the new guys, too. When they succeed, we all succeed. We look for innovation and creativity. Sometimes we even “borrow” from each other.
Every restaurant has an off night now and then. We strive for perfection, but sometimes we miss the mark. So every restaurant I try always gets a second chance if the first outing doesn’t meet expectations.
I hope you have the same policy.
The problem often is that diners are more likely to tell more people about a bad experience than they are about a good one. It’s human nature. But it’s also unfair if you don’t give the restaurant a second chance.
I’ve written in this space more than once – and I’m about to repeat it – that you should never hesitate to send something back to the kitchen if it hasn’t been prepared to your liking. Give the chef a chance to make it right. Don’t eat something and then pay for it if you truly didn’t like it.
On the other hand, there are a number of folks out there who make a career out of sending things back. Eventually we figure out who you are, especially after claiming that there’s a hair on your plate after you’ve consumed three-quarters of the dish.
We know what you’re up to when you send a perfectly good bottle of wine back, claiming that it’s “corked” or that it’s starting to turn. You might get away with it once. But more often than not, you’re showing off for your friends or your date. Yes, there are bottles of corked wine out there, but with modern aging and bottling methods, they are few and far between. And if you order a bottle that has reached “ancient” status, once it’s opened, you own it.
But I digress. Most of us who cook professionally are a very tolerant bunch. Really we are. And I venture to say that most of them adhere to my creed:
Our favorite meal is the one that someone else cooked for us. We’re much more interested in your companionship.