So, Apparently, Ordering Your Steak Well-Done Makes the Entire Kitchen Staff Hate You
There’s no topic that fires up a kitchen faster than a ticket reading “well-done steak.” You’d think someone had just requested ketchup on caviar. To many chefs, it’s the ultimate test of patience. But is it actually rude to ask for your steak cooked all the way through, or are the chefs just being dramatic?
Cooks Get So Touchy About It
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Chefs will tell you it’s not personal, but it kind of is. The problem isn’t that they hate your taste buds; it’s that a well-done steak takes forever to cook and almost always ends up dry. The long grill time throws off the rhythm of a busy kitchen, and it’s hard for a cook to feel good about serving what they consider “ruined” meat. Professional pride plays a big role. They know that the longer a steak cooks, the more fat and moisture it loses. To a chef, that feels like a waste of a good cow.
On Reddit, one line cook put it bluntly: “We don’t think you’re rude, but we think you’re wrong.” The resentment often stems from the fact that steak is one of the most expensive items on the menu. When someone orders it well-done, the kitchen feels like they’re being asked to sabotage their own work. Even though they’ll still cook it for you, you might hear a few grumbles behind the pass.
Science in the Science
Not all steaks are created equal when it comes to doneness. Tougher cuts like chuck, round, or flank can actually handle a longer cook time since they have more connective tissue that breaks down slowly. High-end cuts like filet mignon or ribeye, though, don’t stand a chance. By the time they hit well-done, all the good stuff is gone. That’s why chefs sometimes swap in a cheaper cut when a guest asks for well-done. It’s less wasteful and, ironically, might taste better.
Ego in Hospitality
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Still, not every chef takes offense. Some of them don’t care how you order it, as long as you’re happy. And that’s a shift many chefs have had to make over time, letting go of ego and focusing on hospitality. One chef recalled working for a fine dining restaurant where the head chef would go out of his way to make anything a customer asked for, even fried calamari for a kid when the restaurant didn’t have a fryer. His philosophy was simple: people pay good money to eat what they want.