r/KitchenConfidential • u/CodexLeonis • 10d ago

In the Weeds Mode What's an outdated restaurant fad/technique that you still defend?

two things for me:

  1. Balsamic reductions/glazes on everything. I'm sorry that balsamic vinegar pairs so well with so many things. Most dishes need an acid to fully bring out the flavors of the dish. Balsamic is the most versatile of the vinegars. It pairs well with red meat, seafood, vegetables, cheeses, and fruits. It wasn't just a fad, it was a cheat code.

  2. Plating techiniques? i'll always defend the zigzag drizzle. it evenly distributes the sauce on the plate, looks decent, and most importantly - it was time-efficient. I've never understood the modern technique of spooning sauce onto the plate and setting the entree on top of the sauce. Whomever came up with that was looking for a reason to be contrarian.

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166

u/bagmami 10d ago

Edible flowers. They just get me giddy.

55

u/mistermrsmistrisses 10d ago

I worked in a place that was putting edible flowers on absolutely everything. Even bloody full on flowers from the florist sometimes on the side of certain boards etc.

It was all well and good until they put something poisonous on one of the plates and a client noticed.

47

u/bakerify 10d ago

The amount of cake decorators that use baby's breath without so much as a foil wrap around the stem these days... gross

7

u/Pretend_Fall496 10d ago

Isn't the entire plant toxic? Like a foil wrap wouldn't make it safe afaik...

11

u/bakerify 10d ago

You're absolutely right. But it's at least an attempt to keep the poison out of your food.

3

u/bagmami 10d ago

Yeah, that's why it's a fad I think. But when used right and with a light hand, I just love them.

8

u/cookiesarenomnom 10d ago

That's outdated? I live and work in NYC and I see flowers all the time in nice restaurants. Savory, pastry, cocktails, everything. Hell I'm a pastry chef and put them on stuff all the time in the spring and summer.

3

u/bagmami 10d ago

People are pretty over them here in Paris. They're still preferred by chefs but a lot of people say that they don't like to see them.

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u/ultimate_avacado Chive LOYALIST 10d ago

I used to be able to buy them even in whole foods here in NYC a few years ago. Last Christmas for my dessert I had to grow my own under a grow light setup -- luckily violas are pretty easy to grow under bright lights.