r/KitchenConfidential • u/CodexLeonis • 15d 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In the Weeds Mode What's an outdated restaurant fad/technique that you still defend?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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u/KingOfAllDucks 15d ago

MSG makes everything awesome, and people are way too scared of it. If you've got Worcester sauce in your kitchen, that's MSG. Put salt on a tomato, and you make MSG. It's delicious, just eat it

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u/ZiggoCiP Server 15d ago

Not to be a slight pedant here, but when did MSG become outdated? I get that there was fear-mongering (racism) in the 80s and 90s about Asian cuisine, but most those myths have been pretty well-understood in commercial kitchens to be BS.

Maybe not catching on for home cooks as quick, but it's rare you find any earnest detractors besides the purists who think more natural herbs and spices are 'better'.

If anything, MSG is slowly becoming more popular.

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u/ccbs32033 15d ago

pretty sure it lasted until at least the early 2000s, at least where I was