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Star chef Gordon Ramsay has a hot insider tip for your next visit to a restaurant: You should always reserve an extra seat. That’s really what’s behind it.

That’s how often go out to eat on average

The eating habits of are changing radically: Less and less people are cooking and eating at home. Convenience products, fast food and to-go shops in particular are becoming increasingly popular, since young adults aged between 20 and 34 place great value on convenience and low prices.

Nevertheless, nothing beats a pleasant evening in the restaurant with an inviting ambience and delicious dishes that you can’t buy anywhere else. “Besides, it’s much more about the atmosphere, the passion of the chefs, good service and the bar with tasty drinks,” says star chef Ramsay in an interview from Dubai.

Gordon James Ramsay is a radio and long-distance British chef, restaurateur, TV chef and cookbook author. The Gordon Ramsay Group operates 35 restaurants worldwide, including 15 in London. Four of the restaurants in operation have been awarded stars by the Michelin Guide (as of 2019).

In 2019, a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov showed that around 20 percent of people eat out two to three times a month, ten percent once a week – or even more often. And especially in times of Corona, going to restaurants is valued more again due to closures, reopenings and the 2G regulation, since it is not a matter of course for everyone to spontaneously go out to eat in a good restaurant.

Insider tip from the star chef: Why always reserve one more seat?

Especially if you want a cozy meal for two, it is a great advantage to reserve one more seat. Not only because at a table for two you can quickly end up in an uncomfortable place in the restaurant, but because a larger table is much more pleasant.

If you have reserved an additional seat, another person can spontaneously come along without having to change the reservation. This makes sense especially on birthdays when the number of people is still unclear. If there are actually fewer people than indicated, you have the better table – if more people come than reserved seats, the restaurant could already be full or you have to sit at different tables.

Another big advantage is that you have more space when eating to spread out food and drinks and there is no lack of space at the table for two.

The downside of only reserving for two

As romantic as the idea is: a candlelight dinner for just two people, with candlelight, good food and a good wine. A table that is only suitable for two people is usually quite small and fills the awkward corners of a restaurant.

A table for two is often in a cold corner seat, next to the toilets, or you are moved directly at the bar. Many restaurant owners want to save space in this way and give the better tables to larger groups – which of course makes perfect sense, but can quickly become uncomfortable for the guests at the table for two.

Tip: Take star chef Gordon Ramsay’s suggestion seriously – never reserve a table for just two people again. This saves you uncomfortable restaurant visits and you can spontaneously take one more person with you.

A homemade piping bag is particularly good for garnishing biscuits and cakes with chocolate or egg white icing. With a piping bag made of baking paper, you can decorate particularly finely, spray ornaments and also write. A piping bag is also good for filling small biscuits with jam.

There is no standard size for the triangles, depending on the purpose of the finished paper piping bag, you can adjust the size of the cut triangles.

How to fold paper pastry bags step by step:

  1. Cut a square of baking paper about 28 cm on each side, fold diagonally and divide into two triangles with a knife.
  2. Twist in point B so that the back is on point A comes.
  3. Roll point C over…
  4. … so that it comes to rest on A and …
  5. … continue turning until the tip of the punch is closed.
  6. Fold corner C inwards, corner B outwards; After filling, cut off the tip with a small pair of scissors.

Tips and tricks:

– Do not fill the bags too full, 1 to a maximum of 2 tablespoons of the chocolate or icing are sufficient.

– The side edges of the bags should remain as clean as possible.

– It is particularly important that the long edge of the triangle is very smooth and not frayed. It is best to cut the square in half diagonally with a sharp knife, this will give you a particularly clean-cut edge.

– It is important that the end of the paper piping bag is at the back so that there is enough tension on the bag.

It is not the first time that beginners manage to cook a steak on the grill with high quality and tasty. The first failed attempt is not a reason for frustration, but a great opportunity to analyze your mistakes to take into account and correct them in the future. Below we will share useful tips and tricks from experienced chefs on how to cook a deliciously and unmistakably grilled steak perfectly.

  1. Preheating the grill. The first rule to remember once and for all. For the planned dish to turn out equally tasty from time to time, it is necessary to take care of heating the grill in advance. Set the temperature to maximum and preheat the barbecue for 10-15 minutes before starting the cooking process.
  2. Continuous flame control. Drops of fat dripping off the steak during frying can trigger flames. A strong fire can dry out the meat, and in this case, you do not need to use water at all. It is enough to reduce the heat to a minimum or completely extinguish the burners. Wait a couple of minutes and continue the cooking process.
  3. There must always be an adequate supply of fuel. It doesn’t matter if you cook on a charcoal or gas grill, to avoid unforeseen situations during the cooking process, always have enough fuel to roast the meat.
  4. Temperature control. As you know, when preparing various dishes over an open or indirect fire, it is important to adhere to the existing recommendations for temperature conditions. For example, there are certain rules for roasting poultry and pork. In the case of thick pieces of meat or baking whole poultry, it is rational to choose medium temperature conditions. In the case of thin steaks, the fire can be more intense and the roasting time may be limited.
  5. Experiment and master new culinary techniques. To enhance the usual taste of meat, it can be fried on both sides over high heat. This technique will allow you to get an appetizing golden-brown crust. So that the meat is not overdried, it is better to continue frying until fully cooked over medium or low heat. It is rational to use and not direct heat until the dish is fully cooked. Slow simmering allows the taste of the dish to unfold as much as possible, without overdrying the meat fibers and completely preserving their juiciness.
  6. Experiment with flavors. To revive the usual taste of the dish, we recommend using different variations of sauces, combining them individually each time. For example, a pinch of sugar will give the meat a more intense flavor and a delicious crust. Remember also that you need to grease the steak with sauce 5-10 minutes before cooking. If the meat has been pre-marinated for several hours, it should be cooked at minimum temperatures, gradually increasing the heat. Thus, the finished dish will turn out to be evenly fried, without a specific, burnt aftertaste.
  7. Stay alert while preparing food. For your dish to turn out perfectly fried, without burnt edges, you need to monitor not only the temperature and intensity of the fire but also the state of the steak frying. Especially, this rule is relevant when frying chops, thin pieces of meat, burgers over high heat.
  8. Cleanliness is the key to health. Interaction with any food, including meat, requires certain hygiene rules. The work area must be kept as clean as the grill itself. Pay special attention to the cleanliness of hands and cutlery. It is better to check the degree of roasting of meat not with improvised means, but with a special, disinfected temperature probe.
  9. It is also important not to forget about the cleanliness of the grill. As with any kitchen equipment, the grill must be kept clean. After cooking, until the particles of fat and food are completely dry, they must be removed. All types of dirt can be easily removed by intensive heating of the grill. After firing, the ash can be easily removed with a sponge or barbecue brush. Timely removal of dirt will allow you to always prepare delicious food, without any foreign odors. Do not forget about the timely maintenance of your grill. Monitor the serviceability of burners, temperature controllers. We also recommend purchasing professional grill cleaning tools. With their help, it will become much easier and more convenient to monitor the health of the equipment.
  10. Organize proper storage of your grill. To make your grill, gas, or charcoal, serve you for many years, get a special cover for it. It will protect the metal from moisture, dust, and mechanical damage.

Who said that delicious pizza can only be tasted in a pizzeria? If you know some secrets and strictly follow some rules, the perfect dough cake with different fillings can be made at home.
We’ve collected tips from different chefs to help make homemade pizza as good as the one you try at the establishment. And maybe even better – who knows.

  1. Mix several types of flour. In addition to wheat, from which we often cook, there are many other varieties of flour: buckwheat, for example, or corn, or rye. Each of them has its own unique taste, aroma, and color. Thus, for pizza dough, you can mix two types of flour: standard wheat flour and non-standard rye flour. However, they should be added to the dough in a small ratio – for example, in a 4 to 1 ratio.
  2. Don’t be afraid to experiment with toppings. Pizza dough is like a canvas for an artist; you can “paint” anything on it. Therefore, the filling on the test is a complete flight of imagination. Any product can be the basis. As a result, you can get meat, vegetable, fish, or even berry-sweet pizza.
  3. Knead the dough with your hands. Of course, food processors can do everything faster and more efficiently. But tactile sensations are very important in making pizza. By touch, you can understand what is the consistency of the dough and whether it is elastic enough. And these nuances greatly affect the taste of pizza.
  4. Roll out the dough with your fists. This method is both cooking and therapy. Firstly, the dough is filled with air and becomes more elastic. And, secondly, such work will perfectly help relieve accumulated stress.
  5. Preheat the oven beforehand. Pizza should only be placed in a hot oven, so it is very important to preheat the oven while working with the dough. In a professional wood-burning oven, the temperature reaches 400 degrees, while in a home oven you can heat up to a maximum of 250 degrees. Just remember that for pizza, 5-7 minutes is enough for the dough and ingredients to brown, so be careful not to burn it.
  6. Sauce for the sides. If you are one of those who do not eat pizza sides, we advise you to pour them with some sauce during cooking or wrap any filling in them – for example, sausages or Philadelphia cheese. This way, you won’t feel like you’re just eating a dry piece of dough.