Brunch has cemented itself as a cherished weekend ritual, blending breakfast and lunch, promising fluffy pancakes and perfectly poached eggs for a relaxed social affair.
Yet, behind the culinary curtain, brunch is a different story for many chefs. Complex orders and immense customer expectations create a high-pressure environment. Many popular dishes complicate their work, leading chefs to secretly wish they’d disappear. If you’re aiming for a truly satisfying brunch, here’s what chefs advise you to skip.
1. **Basic Eggs: Overpriced and Underwhelming**
Eggs are a breakfast cornerstone, appearing in countless forms on every brunch menu. While they seem like a safe, classic choice, chefs contend that ordering basic eggs at brunch is often a mistake and a waste of money due to notorious markups.
Eggs are a breakfast cornerstone, appearing in countless forms on every brunch menu. While they seem like a safe, classic choice, chefs contend that ordering basic eggs at brunch is often a mistake and a waste of money due to notorious markups.
Greg Lopez, executive chef at NOUN Hotel, states, “Egg dishes are all too easy to make at home.” Why pay $15 for scrambled eggs in a restaurant when you can quickly make them at home, exactly how you like? Cook Rachel Amiralian noted, “Good scrambled eggs depend very much on personal preference. On a busy day, you’ll probably be disappointed.”
2. **Avocado Toast: The Instagram Darling That Breaks the Bank**
Avocado toast: vibrant, trendy, a social media favorite, and a brunch staple. Yet, this seemingly innocent dish is one chefs largely avoid, and they suggest you should too. The primary issue is simple: it’s vastly overpriced.
Avocado toast: vibrant, trendy, a social media favorite, and a brunch staple. Yet, this seemingly innocent dish is one chefs largely avoid, and they suggest you should too. The primary issue is simple: it’s vastly overpriced.
Many restaurants serve a basic version with minimal toppings, charging $12 to $18 for something that costs just a few dollars to assemble yourself. If you’re craving avocado toast, save your money! Craft a superior version at home, customized with your favorite toppings, without feeling seriously overcharged.
3. **Eggs Benedict: A Culinary Minefield of Potential Disasters**
Eggs Benedict sounds like brunch luxury personified: perfectly poached eggs, Canadian bacon, toasted English muffin, smothered in rich hollandaise. It’s a classic, but chefs universally agree it’s one of the riskiest dishes to order.
Eggs Benedict sounds like brunch luxury personified: perfectly poached eggs, Canadian bacon, toasted English muffin, smothered in rich hollandaise. It’s a classic, but chefs universally agree it’s one of the riskiest dishes to order.
Its flawless execution is incredibly difficult, especially during a busy brunch rush. Chef Justin Cucci warns that “The hollandaise sauce is often lukewarm or broken, the poached eggs can be overcooked, and the English muffin soggy.” Anthony Bourdain famously advised against hollandaise due to bacterial risks.
4. **Corned Beef Hash: A Mushy, Forgettable Leftover Extravaganza**
Corned beef hash holds the promise of a hearty, comforting brunch dish. When done right, with crispy potatoes and tender, flavorful corned beef, it can be excellent. However, more often than not, it arrives as a mushy, uninspired mess, frequently topped with cold, sad eggs.
Corned beef hash holds the promise of a hearty, comforting brunch dish. When done right, with crispy potatoes and tender, flavorful corned beef, it can be excellent. However, more often than not, it arrives as a mushy, uninspired mess, frequently topped with cold, sad eggs.
Tony Marchese strongly advises against ordering this unless you’re certain of the restaurant’s execution. Many chefs note it’s often a “hodge-podge preparation” of various leftovers. Retired chef Chefbuba recounts a “prime rib hash” that was essentially old prime rib, baked potato, and fajita vegetables.
5. **Yogurt Parfaits: A Tiny Snack Dressed Up as a Lavish Meal**
A yogurt parfait seems like a wholesome, refreshing, and light brunch choice. Layers of creamy yogurt, crunchy granola, and fresh fruit sound ideal. However, culinary experts concur this seemingly innocent option is best avoided on a brunch menu.
A yogurt parfait seems like a wholesome, refreshing, and light brunch choice. Layers of creamy yogurt, crunchy granola, and fresh fruit sound ideal. However, culinary experts concur this seemingly innocent option is best avoided on a brunch menu.
The core problem boils down to value. Chefs consistently highlight that yogurt parfaits are almost always overpriced and severely underwhelming in portion size. What you get for your money is a small cup that barely qualifies as a meal, leaving you hungry and ripped off. It’s incredibly simple to prepare at home, allowing you to control quality and quantity.
6. **Oatmeal: The Ultimate Rip-Off**
Unless specific dietary restrictions limit your options, chefs often advise skipping oatmeal at brunch. It’s incredibly cheap to make at home, costing mere pennies per serving, yet restaurants typically charge upwards of $10. Private chef Natasha Feldman succinctly asks, “Why pay $10 for 30 cents’ worth of oats?”
Unless specific dietary restrictions limit your options, chefs often advise skipping oatmeal at brunch. It’s incredibly cheap to make at home, costing mere pennies per serving, yet restaurants typically charge upwards of $10. Private chef Natasha Feldman succinctly asks, “Why pay $10 for 30 cents’ worth of oats?”
This dish is a prime example of an inflated menu item. Many establishments don’t even prepare it well, often using water instead of milk, leading to a bland, watery experience. Diners expect quality, but on a busy brunch day, this simple bowl rarely gets the attention it deserves, making it an overpriced and underwhelming choice.
7. **Steak and Eggs: A Chewy Gamble**
Steak and eggs might sound luxurious, but unless you’re at a high-end steakhouse, prepare for disappointment. Chefs widely agree this dish is often a gamble, frequently resulting in a tough, lower-quality cut of meat that leaves your jaw aching rather than your palate pleased.
Steak and eggs might sound luxurious, but unless you’re at a high-end steakhouse, prepare for disappointment. Chefs widely agree this dish is often a gamble, frequently resulting in a tough, lower-quality cut of meat that leaves your jaw aching rather than your palate pleased.
The issue is primarily cost versus quality. Chef Trevor Kunk suggests avoiding it unless the restaurant has a strong reputation for good meat. Often, you’re getting an underseasoned cut, pre-sliced, and served with a single, lukewarm egg – far from the perfectly cooked steak you truly desire.
8. **French Toast: A Hit-or-Miss Affair**
When perfectly executed, French toast is a delight: crispy golden, custardy within. However, Alex Willen of San Francisco Brunch Club warns it’s one of the most inconsistent dishes on any brunch menu. The line between delicious and disastrously soggy is incredibly thin.
When perfectly executed, French toast is a delight: crispy golden, custardy within. However, Alex Willen of San Francisco Brunch Club warns it’s one of the most inconsistent dishes on any brunch menu. The line between delicious and disastrously soggy is incredibly thin.
Poorly made French toast can be thick, doughy, and drenched in syrup, turning into a mushy mess. During the brunch rush, meticulous execution can be sacrificed for speed. This highlights how high-volume service often compromises the quality of seemingly simple dishes.
9. **Doughnuts: Sweet Regret**
While delicious as a treat, chefs suggest skipping doughnuts on a brunch menu unless they hail from a renowned bakery. As Chef Deb Gangale recommends, save these sugary indulgences for a specialist. They often don’t offer much substantial nourishment.
While delicious as a treat, chefs suggest skipping doughnuts on a brunch menu unless they hail from a renowned bakery. As Chef Deb Gangale recommends, save these sugary indulgences for a specialist. They often don’t offer much substantial nourishment.
If you’re seeking a filling brunch, doughnuts are among the least satisfying options. They provide a quick sugar rush followed by an inevitable crash. Opt for savory dishes for a more complete and satisfying meal.
10. **Chilaquiles (Unless It’s an Authentic Spot)**
Chilaquiles, a vibrant Mexican staple, can be heavenly when prepared with care and authenticity. However, chefs strongly advise against ordering it unless you’re at a genuine Mexican restaurant. Many non-Mexican establishments simply fail to get the balance right.
Chilaquiles, a vibrant Mexican staple, can be heavenly when prepared with care and authenticity. However, chefs strongly advise against ordering it unless you’re at a genuine Mexican restaurant. Many non-Mexican establishments simply fail to get the balance right.
The most common issue is the “proportion of sauce to tortilla,” as Chef Natasha Feldman notes, often resulting in a “sad, overpriced pile of chips.” The dish needs proper crunch and immediate service to avoid sogginess. Without authentic tortillas and precise timing, it’s often a disappointing culinary misstep.
**Why Chefs Are Whispering “Skip It”**
So, there you have it – ten dishes that, while popular, often draw a collective groan from the culinary maestros. Brunch, for chefs, is a whirlwind of complex orders, high expectations, and uninspired dishes, amidst the chaos of a busy kitchen. They’re battling fatigue and striving to meet social media-driven visuals.
Next time you’re at brunch, consider this insider knowledge an opportunity. Instead of defaulting to these often-overpriced or poorly executed classics, dare to explore unique offerings that showcase a chef’s skill. Opt for dishes you couldn’t easily whip up at home, making your brunch experience special and satisfying for everyone involved.
