'Respect to the chef': Aussies divided over 'fine dining' demand

"[The chef] offered to cook him anything else on the menu, but refused to allow him to do that to a steak." Which would be your preference? 

When you go to a nice restaurant, you’re going to expect a fine dining experience.

But, if you asked for a specification, could you really be mad if they said no?

One Aussie diner has taken to Reddit asking just this - and commenters are divided.

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Which steak would you order? Image: Supplied

RELATED: Melbourne local bamboozled by odd restaurant menu

“Is the chef right here?”

A Sydney Reddit user has taken to the platform to ask a question about their experience at a Hatted restaurant in the city, after witnessing an odd interaction with the chef.

“[The chef] refused to sell a $290/kg steak to a customer, as he wanted it BEYOND well done,” the poster said.

“He offered to cook him anything else on the menu, but refused to allow him to do that to a steak as it's a bastardisation of the quality.”

The poster then asked if this was the norm, and if not, who was in the right.

“I sort of have to agree personally, the chef was trying to explain [that] it will delete all the flavour and frankly is an abuse of his skills,” they wrote.

“Is the chef right here? Like [is it] like asking to order sashimi, then asking them to deep fry it?”

“Seems very ostentatious to spend that much on charcoal”

The majority of commenters were on the chef’s side, calling the customer immature.

“Yeah, I agree with the chef, they have the right to refuse service. Seems very ostentatious to spend that much on charcoal,” one person said.

“Respect to the chef. Give him a hug. Give him a kiss. There should be a mug shot of this customer in all kitchens,” another agreed.

“Customer would probably pair it with a nice Heinz tomato sauce,” a third joked.

“Chef is correct. If you want ‘beyond well done’ order chicken breast or a burger. I don’t understand the desire to order something that is expensive, followed by a request that makes it worthless,” said another.

“Let people eat what they want”

But, not everyone agreed, with a number of people suggesting he should have simply made the customer what they asked for.

“If they ask and pay, they should cook it how the customer likes it. If you work somewhere cooking steak, you will have people that want it well done, get used to it. I would consider it snooty culinary elitism to deny someone’s request based on your personal taste,” one commenter asserted.

“Let people eat what they want,” another said simply.

Originally published as 'Respect to the chef': Aussies divided over 'fine dining' demand