Filet Mignon: The Tender Disappointment
Despite being a tender cut, filet mignon lacks flavor because it is so lean, according to multiple professional chefs. This is a steak for beginners, yet the price tag it carries you would think it’s meant for a meat connoisseur. The cut’s premium reputation comes from its tenderness alone, but experienced chefs argue that tenderness without flavor makes for an expensive mistake.
Yes, it is tender and juicy, but because it’s so lean, it has no real flavor. Sauces are vital for this cut because its flavor is lacking. Professional kitchens often rely on heavy sauces to mask the meat’s bland nature. It’s flavorless and has no texture, yet for some reason people are willing to pay absurd amounts of money for it. I would never serve it in my restaurant, states one Manhattan Beach chef.
The tenderloin family gets similar treatment from culinary professionals. 100% in my opinion, the tenderloin is one of the most overrated cuts of meat. While the tenderloin is a super tender cut of meat, it can often be flavorless if not injected or marinated. Many chefs recommend switching to cuts like hanger steak or ribeye that offer superior flavor profiles.
Truffle Oil: The Fake Luxury
Truffle oil is disgusting and so overwhelming. I think truffle oil has been and still is overrated, says celebrity chef Dave White. Anytime you see ‘Truffled’ as a descriptive item on a menu, like fries, mac and cheese, potatoes etc, but there’s no ACTUAL truffles in or on the dish, it’s a red flag. They are just drizzling synthetically scented “truffle” oil on the dish.
The synthetic nature of most truffle oil creates an artificial flavor that overpowers dishes rather than enhancing them. Truffle byproducts are the most overpriced and overused ingredient across the board. The oils, honeys, pastes – I just don’t get the crazy intensity of the flavor. It’s never good. Professional chefs note that real truffles offer complex, earthy flavors that synthetic versions cannot replicate.
The obsession with truffle mushrooms, especially when synthetic truffle oil is being used. It overpowers dishes, lacks nuance and often masks what could have been great ingredients. Instead of elevating a dish, artificial truffle products often destroy the careful balance that skilled chefs work to achieve.
Caviar on Everything
You can find caviar on pretty much anything these days, from a lobster roll, to a fried chicken sandwich, to even just taking a caviar bump off your hand. This has made caviar more of a mainstream, household staple rather than this luxury, special item. The democratization of caviar has led to its overuse in inappropriate contexts.
Uni, truffles, caviar – these ingredients used to be special. Now they’re often tossed onto dishes just to make them seem more luxurious for Instagram. Professional chefs argue that caviar deserves respect as a delicate ingredient, not as a flashy garnish to justify higher prices. Caviar is great in the right way. But, when you just start spooning it on top of shit, it’s not gonna fly.
The overuse of caviar reflects a broader trend where luxury ingredients lose their meaning through inappropriate application. I’m a big believer that caviar shouldn’t be mixed and eaten with anything, emphasizing that this delicate ingredient should be appreciated on its own merits.
Edible Gold Leaf: Pure Theater
Edible gold leaves add nothing to the dish other than an expensive garnish for flare. How else are influencers going to make their food Instagrammable? asks Michelin-star chef Donald Young. Gold leaf doesn’t add any nutritional value, flavor or texture to a dish. To me, I think it’s used to overcompensate for lack of creativity.
While scrolling through your social media feed, you’ve likely come across an image of food accessorized with flakes of gold. This flashy, flavorless ingredient, also known as edible gold leaf, is typically used to garnish desserts, but it has also made its way into the savory world, adorning burgers, grilled cheese, and sushi. Although edible gold leaf can enhance a dish’s appearance, not everyone thinks it’s worth the splurge.
Professional chefs view edible gold as the ultimate example of style over substance. Edible gold leaf has zero taste, zero nutritional value, and adds nothing but a ridiculous price tag to otherwise ordinary food. From $1000 gold-flaked ice cream to gold-dusted steaks, this trend epitomizes style over substance. Consuming precious metals won’t make your digestive system more valuable.
Oversized Burgers: More Problems Than Pleasure
Super tall burgers look impressive but are more frustrating than satisfying. These towering creations often require unhinging your jaw or dismantling the layers just to take a bite. While they may boast of multiple flavors, the experience can be a soggy mess of conflicting tastes. The engineering challenges of eating these monuments to excess often outweigh any culinary benefits.
Towering burgers often require frequent reassembly between bites, making them more time-consuming to eat than standard-sized ones. Some restaurants serve extremely tall burgers that can be difficult to manage. Oversized burgers require significant compression to make them manageable for eating.
The impracticality extends beyond mere inconvenience. Oversized burgers are like the flashy celebrities of the food world – big, bold, and impossible to ignore. But when it’s time to dig in, they’re more about show than substance. Trying to eat one feels like a workout, and halfway through, you’re left drowning in soggy toppings and wondering where the flavor went.
Avocado Toast: The Millennial Money Trap
Avocado toast. Look, I have no problem with it, but the fact that it’s been considered a trend for years still baffles me,” says one executive chef. By the end of 2024, the once-trendy avocado toast variations had started losing their appeal among discerning travelers. Chefs and diners alike began turning away from elaborate $20 avocado toast creations topped with everything from edible flowers to gold leaf, recognizing them as overpriced gimmicks rather than genuine culinary experiences.
$18 for mashed avocado on bread? Highway robbery! While homemade versions can be delightful, restaurant avocado toast often arrives as a sad, browning smear on stale bread with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. The simplicity of the dish makes the markup particularly insulting to both chefs and customers who understand basic food costs.
Avocado toast is visually appealing, but it’s often overpriced for what you receive – a simple dish dressed up for Instagram. Though avocados are nutritious, the toast’s hype has elevated it to an undeserved pedestal. The trend has led to absurd variations, overshadowing its simple roots. The disconnect between cost and culinary value has made this dish a symbol of restaurant inflation.
Microgreens: Pretty But Pointless
Microgreens are a lay-up ingredient to give your dish color, but more often than not, they don’t do much for flavor and are more of an afterthought add-on rather than something that intentionally completes the dish, explains Blue Rock’s executive chef Bin Lu. Honestly, some microgreens. The ones that don’t taste like anything or the ones that are so powerful they blow out the dish.
These tiny garnishes represent the broader problem of prioritizing aesthetics over flavor in modern restaurant culture. Frequently used to top salads, soups, pizza, and avocado toast, microgreens not only provide dishes with a vibrant pop of color but they also offer additional health benefits, yet their culinary contribution rarely justifies their premium price or ubiquitous presence.
Professional kitchens often use microgreens as visual insurance rather than flavor enhancement. The result is dishes that photograph beautifully but fail to deliver meaningful taste experiences, contributing to the growing disconnect between social media food culture and authentic dining.
Deconstructed Dishes: DIY Dining Disasters
Recently, I ordered avocado toast topped with feta and cherry tomatoes. The dish came out: two pieces of toast next to a whole avocado in its skin cut in half and the feta and whole cherry tomatoes on the side. I had to scoop out the avocado and assemble the dish myself. By the time I’d finished, my hands were all avocado-y, and I had to duck to the bathroom to wash up before I could come back and eat my meal. Nowhere on the menu was it advertised as ‘deconstructed.’ Basically, I just got to pay $18 to make my own meal.
The deconstructed trend forces diners to become unpaid kitchen staff while paying premium prices. ‘Deconstructed’ gets me. Like normally this cabbage, vegetables, and pork would be all nicely wrapped up in an egg roll I can pick up and eat. Now it’s deconstructed and I need a bowl and utensils. This approach destroys the fundamental relationship between chef and diner.
Restaurants use deconstruction to justify higher prices while reducing kitchen labor, creating a lose-lose situation for customers. The trend undermines the basic premise of professional food service, where skilled preparation should be part of the dining experience.
Molecular Gastronomy: Science Over Satisfaction
As the focus shifts towards simplicity and transparency in ingredients, overly complicated molecular gastronomy dishes are increasingly seen as an overrated food trend. Many diners find that these visually stunning but scientifically complex creations lack the straightforward enjoyment of traditional cuisine, leading to a growing sentiment among travelers to move away from such elaborate food preparations in favor of more accessible and satisfying culinary experiences.
Molecular gastronomy dishes often rely on intricate techniques that can prioritize visual appeal over traditional flavors, leading some diners to perceive them as overly complicated and inaccessible. The theatrical presentation often masks fundamental flaws in taste and satisfaction.
Professional chefs increasingly question whether molecular techniques serve diners or merely showcase kitchen technology. Watching smoke billow from your dessert seems magical until you realize you’re paying triple for a theatrical gimmick that adds zero flavor. Worse yet, improperly prepared liquid nitrogen treats have caused serious injuries! From frozen cereal balls to dragon’s breath treats, these novelties prioritize Instagram moments over taste or safety.
Over-the-Top Omakase and Sushi
Over-the-top omakase. Too many flashy toppings and contemporary takes on sushi are distracting and take away from the quality of the fish. I prefer to let ingredients speak for themselves through thoughtful preparation without the addition of anything that makes you question if you are even eating sushi, says chef Ben Chen of Sushi Ouji.
I think all the places that layer Wagyu, uni and caviar on top of sushi. I love all of these ingredients when used accordingly, but the idea of taking 10 luxury items and piling them on top of each other, to me, loses the point of each of the ingredients. The Instagram-driven sushi scene often sacrifices traditional principles for visual impact.
The popularity surge means a lot of subpar sushi offerings, leaving enthusiasts skeptical. Authentic sushi relies on subtlety, not just fish on rice. Seek out reputable sushi chefs for the true experience. Sometimes, less is more, with simplicity and quality defining the real sushi delight. The democratization of sushi culture has led to confusion between authentic technique and trendy presentation.
Charcoal-Infused Everything
The excessive use of charcoal-infused products was one of the food trends travelers were ready to leave behind in 2024. While charcoal was once marketed for its supposed health benefits, many now view it as a gimmick that adds little to no flavor, leading to a sharp decline in its popularity. As 2025 unfolds, travelers are increasingly drawn to more authentic and health-oriented dining experiences – moving away from fads that prioritize aesthetics over taste in favor of ingredients that deliver genuine nutritional value and distinctive flavor.
Activated charcoal’s effectiveness in removing toxins when consumed in food is disputed by health experts. A recent study revealed that charcoal-infused bread has a 23% lower thermal conductivity, making it less efficient for toasting or grilling compared to regular bread. The practical disadvantages of charcoal additives often outweigh any perceived benefits.
The trend represents the broader problem of health-washing in restaurant marketing, where visually striking ingredients with dubious benefits replace genuine nutritional improvements.
