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We recently came across this thread on the ChefTalk forum titled “Most memorable stupid orders you’ve gotten” and it’s an absolute goldmine of hilarious requests chefs have received over their years in the job.
There are the classics all chefs will recognise of course – cooked tartare for instance – but also some downright bizarre tickets that have left us scratching our heads and wondering if said chefs were being pranked.
Here are 20 of our favourites:
Chadateit
My personal favourite was a banquet order for a Caesar's salad (for a party of about 100 people) that, 20 minutes before plating, was updated saying that the Caesar dressing couldn't have anchovies, garlic, or egg. What do you even say to that?
Just Jim
"I'm very allergic to garlic, is there any in the special?" "Yes, there is a little" "Well, as long as I can't see it I'll be okay. I'll have the special."
Eloki
"Could you cook the steaks well-done please? Otherwise, it will be too tough for me to eat...” err... what?
Shi Chang Chu
I want the stuffed salmon. I don't like the taste of salmon though, so don't make it taste like salmon.
RAS1187
Order for well done burger. Not unusual, but the guest told the server, "My doctor told me I can't have any red meat" and was dead serious.
Colomboshute
Today's special was sirloin a la plancha and a customer asked my wife if we could make it vegetarian...
Foodpump
Me, carving on a buffet line: "What are you slicing?"
"Smoked salmon, Ma’am."
"Oh... Does it taste "fishy?"
I couldn't bang my forehead on the counter, because the heat lamps were in the way...
Recky
Customer complains after eating her omelette that the menu didn't explicitly state that it contained “so much egg...”
Just Jim
"Can I get the special with fettuccine? I'm allergic to penne."
"You're allergic to a shape?"
Sergeant Pepper
Obligatory hybrid temperatures on steaks.
See part two of the stupidest food orders ever here
Will
Well-done steak tartare.
Good to go
Mid-rare ossu bucco.
Shanks
We had a guest claim that they were allergic to all fish then order a Caesar salad, when I said that the dressing contained anchovies they got annoyed and said "I eat it all the time, it's fine!"
RAS1187
French onion soup, no onions.
Locomoco
The other day I got a ticket that read: “Cheese plate (no dairy).”
Sergeant Pepper
Vegetarian filet mignon.
Otto
On a flight from NYC to Madrid, some woman ordered diet water...
Redbeerd Cantu
"Can you please make sure that the chicken is well-done? I don't like my chicken bloody..."
Andrew Curley
Egg, medium rare.
Mazardhe
Lady asks to see me during brunch. She tells me she wants a low-fat eggs Benedict. She wants no yolks. At all. I try to explain that yolks are a key ingredient [in] the sauce. She tells me that a good chef should be able to make it happen. She got meringue-covered egg whites. Ewww...
