Chef reveals customer request that makes his 'heart sink' to hear at closing time

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Having a meal at a restaurant is one of life's best pleasures as the pros cook food you would never have at home, all served right to your table.But often customers feel inclined to put in certain requests - and one chef has revealed what the experts can't stand to hear.

While they may seem harmless, asking for a dish to be prepared a different way or requesting something they don't offer can be deemed as offensive to cooks who craft the menu.According to TV chef Joe Hurd from Lifetime's Chef Academy, there is one inquiry that makes his "heart sink" and it usually occurs right before closing at 10pm.

Speaking to The Mirror, he explained how asking for a late night table is the last thing kitchen staff want - but he will still always accommodate the request.He said: "Usually at this point in the evening service, we tend to be breaking down our sections, turning off grills, wrapping, labelling, and cleaning.

Something as simple to the customer as a post-theatre steak can mean turning a whole cleaned-down kitchen around and prolonging a shift by a couple of hours."Of course, we will do it for you, but it does make your heart sink."Another question that Joe finds particularly "demoralising" is when customers ask for ketchup or mayonnaise to drown their dish with. "I am all for condiments and sauces, and to a degree, I think all restaurants should keep these handy," he added."However, it's so demoralising to see your hard work drowned in a commercially-produced household product."Another comment that irks the expert is "can I have this cooked a bit more please?" He explained: "I'd always like to think that we cook meat, fish, vegetables, etc to a high exacting standard, and how it arrives on the customer's plate is how we