After years spent honing their expertise in the kitchen, developing their own specialties, signatures and preferences, Toronto’s chefs have come to know exactly what their diners want. But, this also means they’ve spent years discovering their own dining preferences—and, at times, what they don’t like.
We asked chefs in Toronto about the one dish they would steer clear of when dining out at other restaurants. Here’s what they had to say.
Soup
“I typically avoid ordering the daily soup when dining out at restaurants. I feel it’s something I can easily make at home, and most of the time, it doesn’t excite me. When I go out for dinner, I prefer to order the most intriguing dishes, and soup doesn’t quite fit the bill for me.” Chef Jorge Fiestas, Buca
Seafood Bouillabaisse
“A seafood bouillabaisse on a Sunday is never my go to, as unused seafood portions from the weekend typically go into this dish — depending on where you dine.” Emad Yacoub, Owner of Glowbal Group, Black + Blue
Steak
“If I am at a restaurant, I wouldn’t order the steak because I have so much at Jacobs & Co. I love great beef so much, but because I eat too much, I try and only eat plant-based or fish items when I go out to dine.” Chef Danny McCallum, Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse
Salad
“I wouldn’t order a salad bowl, because I feel that is like a simple food with simple ingredients and most of the time, they are plain, or the salad dressing is not spread evenly. Also, it’s food that I can easily prepare at home. When I go out I want to try something different from what I usually have.” Chef Fernando, Avelo
Chilli
“My one no-go when it comes to ordering food in restaurants is chilli. It’s my favourite food and obviously because of that I am very particular about how spicy I like it. My preference is to make it in large batches that can sit and infuse for days in the fridge. I, also, love to bring on the heat—the more heat the better. Add a splash of tequila to the (crock) pot for that extra buzz and throw a few whole habanero peppers into the stew, and me and my dinner guests can play Russian roulette as we eat.” Chef Adam Ryan, Azura