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4 Things Restaurant Chefs Wish They Could Tell You

4 Things Restaurant Chefs Wish They Could Tell You
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We chatted up the pros to find out what they're really doing in their kitchens—and how you can steal their moves.

By Lynn Andriani

4 Tips From Restaurant Chefs
They Like Cheap Mushrooms(01 of04)
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Perhaps because white button mushrooms are plain-looking, or maybe even because they're inexpensive, home cooks tend to pooh-pooh them, says Adam Halberg, executive chef of the Barcelona Restaurant Group, instead paying top dollar for porcini or chanterelles. And while those varieties are delicious, Halberg says basic white mushrooms can taste just as incredible -- and are one of the best deals in your supermarket. (Plus, fancy mushrooms are often harder to clean and require more complicated cooking methods.) Halberg likes to eat them grilled on bread, with a glass of wine; try them in this recipe with crostini or in this classic Spanish preparation. (credit:Shutterstock)
You're Using Your Knife Too Much(02 of04)
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Overdoing it with knives is one of the top mistakes Halberg sees home cooks make, even though we've all seen chefs on TV hacking away, onions flying everywhere. The less time the blade can spend on whatever it is that you're cutting, the better, Halberg says. Work strategically, so that you can make as few cuts as possible. The goal is to not go back and forth over the food, which will soften it and, in the case of herbs, turn it black. Use this technique for onions; for herbs like rosemary, line up the needles first, so you only have to pass through each part once. (credit:Shutterstock)
You Don't Need To Always Start With Olive Oil (03 of04)
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Home cooks tend to rely on olive oil for sautéing foods (understandably, since many recipes advise them to), but, says chef Robert Irvine, who has appeared on "Restaurant: Impossible," chefs often do the bulk of their cooking with another oil, such as canola, grapeseed or safflower, and save the olive oil for finishing dishes. Those other oils have a higher smoke point, so you can get the pan and the oil very hot, which helps give whatever you're cooking -- say, a chicken breast or fish fillet -- a nice browned crust, without it absorbing tons of oil. Halberg prefers to save his high-quality olive oil for drizzling over food just before serving, to give it a little extra flavor (and, if it's a pasta dish, to help cheese adhere to the noodles). (credit:Shutterstock)
They Aren't Into Kitchen Gadgets...But They Do Have Some Weird Tools(04 of04)
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Using leftovers is a frugal home cook's favorite way to stretch a buck -- and it's also something chefs do all the time, because they don't like to waste food any more than you do. The difference, though, is that professionals are waaay more organized than most of us when it comes to storing and labeling that extra cup of chicken stock. Their tools are also more drugstore than specialty store: Clear plastic containers, painter's tape and a Sharpie are key items in restaurants from The French Laundry to your local French bistro. Slap a piece of tape on the container, scribble the ingredient name and date on it, and you're more likely to use whatever is inside, whether it's egg yolks or chicken stock. Irvine tosses odds and ends in soups; here are more smart ideas for using everything from wilting herbs to half-finished blocks of cheese. (credit:Kim Steele via Getty Images)

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Before You Go

You're Making A Reservation On The Phone
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Even great restaurants have empty tables sometimes, and while you might be able to snag one by calling at 5:00 on the evening you want to eat, online services like Savored and OpenTable do a fine job of searching for availability -- plus, they reward you with a discount. If you use Groupon-owned Savored, for instance, which currently lists restaurants in 10 cities and is adding more soon, you could pay 30 percent less for food (and drinks, too) if you want to dine that night at 8 p.m., and up to 40 percent if you're willing to eat at 6 p.m. (bonus: no coupons necessary).
You're Walking In Hungry
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You've heard it's not wise to go grocery shopping when you're famished -- and it turns out that advice applies to dining out, too. Aaron Allen, a restaurant consultant who has advised clients including The Cheesecake Factory and TGI Fridays, says over-ordering is a common mistake among the ravenous. Two ways to avoid this pitfall: have a small snack before you leave home, or split an appetizer, which will leave you plenty of room for your entrée (and save you some money, too -- especially since appetizers are some of the most high-margin items on the menu).
You're Hoodwinked By A Smiley Face
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Allen sees tip inflation growing at an even higher rate than food inflation: It used to be that a gratuity of 10 percent was acceptable and the norm; then it went to 12 percent, because customers wanted to show that they weren't just satisfied -- they were impressed. This cycle continued, and now the typical amount is 20 percent, with some restaurants even suggesting 22 percent and higher at the bottom of the bill. Obviously, there are times when a very generous tip is appropriate (and it's still true that most servers make below minimum wage, so they really do depend on the extra cash). But base your tip on the service itself, says Allen -- not on what a restaurant "suggests." And beware tactics like the smiley face (one study found that people tip 18 percent more when a waitress draws one on the check).
You're Drinking The House Wine
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Although it sounds like a bargain, "house wine" is usually the worst value on a restaurant's list (unless, that is, you're dining in a quaint Italian village). Allen says the markup on these bottles -- which can be domestic or imported -- is often very high, since restaurants know they're an easy sell. Instead, consider the imported wine section of the menu -- these bottles used to cost much more than American ones but have become much more reasonable. Chilean varieties, in particular, are a great deal; Allen finds many restaurants are responding to customers' increased interest in reasonably priced Malbecs. (And, as always, consider ordering a bottle if your group is going to drink more than four glasses.)
You're Ordering The Wrong Vodka
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Allen has noticed that if he orders a vodka tonic, a waiter will often ask, "'Would you like Grey Goose or Belvedere?' -- as if those are the only two choices." The truth is, if you're having a mixed drink, you don't necessarily need a premium spirit, and having your drink made with whatever is in the well -- bartender-speak for 'non-fancy liquor' -- is an easy way to lower your drinks bill. The well (also called the house pour) might be Absolut or Smirnoff, which are both perfectly fine mixed with tonic or juice but cost about two-thirds less.

Next: 7 things to stop spending money on right now
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