Avoid ordering fish on Mondays, as it may be leftovers from weekend deliveries, a rule famously noted by chef Anthony Bourdain. Other times to avoid fish include at restaurants that do not specialize in seafood, during exceptionally busy or slow times where stock management fails, or if the daily "special" is just an attempt to move inventory.
Mondays have long carried a bad reputation in the seafood world, but if someone's telling you to avoid fish that day, they're a little behind the times. Nearly a decade ago, Anthony Bourdain himself admitted that his famous warning to not order fish on Mondays didn't really hold up anymore.
"I never order fish on Monday," Anthony Bourdain wrote in his book, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly." Tip from one of my favorite celebrities in Food/Cooking. Though to keep in context if their specialty is Seafood you may possibly ignore this statement.
Bourdain's advice was based on the fact that back then, New York City fish markets were closed on the weekends, and many purveyors didn't deliver on Saturdays. This meant the fish you ordered on Monday had most likely been in the kitchen since Friday.
The rule 10-Minute Rule or Canadian Cooking Method is simple: cook fish for 10-minutes per inch of thickness. Then, flip the fish only once, halfway through the cooking time. Whether you plan to follow a recipe or not, start by measure the thickest part of the fish with a clean ruler.
6 Things You Should & Shouldn't Order At A Seafood Restaurant
What is the most common mistake when cooking fish?
One of the most frequent seafood cooking mistakes is overcooking. Seafood, especially fish, has a delicate texture that can quickly become dry and tough when exposed to high heat for too long. The Problem: Overcooked seafood loses its moisture and flavor, resulting in a rubbery texture.
People who are nursing, pregnant or planning to be pregnant, and young children, should not eat fish from the “Choices to Avoid” list. These fish are high in mercury, which can be harmful to a developing nervous system.
It is permissible for Muslims to fish on any day, but the sons of Israel are the ones forbidden to fish on Saturday. Moreover, there is no evidence in Islamic Sharia prohibiting Muslims from fishing on that day. And Allah Knows Best.
It simply meant abstaining from eating the flesh of warm-blooded animals—since the thinking goes, Jesus was a warm-blooded animal. Fish, though, which are cold blooded were considered okay to eat on fasting days. Hence, Fish on Fridays and “Fish Friday” (among many other religious holidays) was born.
Uncooked spoiled seafood can have sour, rancid, fishy, or ammonia odors. These odors become stronger after cooking. If you smell sour, rancid, or fishy odors in raw or cooked seafood, do not eat it. If you smell either a fleeting or persistent ammonia odor in cooked seafood, do not eat it.
The healthiest fish are generally oily varieties like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and herring, rich in omega-3s for heart and brain health, along with lean options like cod, haddock, and trout, offering protein and vitamins with lower fat and mercury. Always prioritize fish low in mercury, like light tuna, and consider sustainability certifications (MSC/ASC) when buying.
There was a rumor – started so long ago no one could remember the details – that bad luck would come to anyone who fished that part of the river on a Sunday. For decades, pious folks had avoided the river on the Lord's Day, just to be safe.
What did Anthony Bourdain say about ordering fish?
"I never order fish on Monday," Anthony Bourdain wrote in his book, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly." Tip from one of my favorite celebrities in Food/Cooking. Though to keep in context if their specialty is Seafood you may possibly ignore this statement.
The origins of the Friday Fish Fry can be traced back to the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays, a tradition observed as a form of penance and reflection. This practice is particularly heightened during Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter.
How can you tell you got a bad piece of seafood at a restaurant?
The best way to determine if fish has gone bad is to smell it. If the fish smells sour or spoiled, throw it out. If the fish has a mild ocean smell, it's likely safe to eat—but if you aren't certain, there are other signs you can look for. For example, it's bad fish if it appears or feels slimy and/or has a dull color.
20 years ago, Anthony Bourdain (RIP, the original food influencer) taught a generation of restaurant-goers never to order fish on Mondays. It was one of the most lasting takeaways from his 2000 book, Kitchen Confidential.
Seafood is generally permitted in most of the schools of Islam, based on their interpretation of the Quran 5:96; the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence forbids consumption of seafood other than true "fish", and considers other sea creatures, such as crustaceans, to be makruh.
Over the centuries custom has dictated that Catholics abstain from meat (the flesh of warm-blooded animals) on certain days (chiefly Friday). Many eat fish in the place of meat, but that is a matter of choice. They might just as well eat eggs, cheese or beans if they want protein in the diet on days of abstinence.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grocery method is a viral TikTok trend for balanced, easy meal planning, guiding you to buy 5 vegetables, 4 fruits, 3 proteins, 2 grains/carbs, and 1 fun treat (or 2 sauces/spreads + 1 treat) for the week, simplifying shopping by focusing on food groups rather than specific recipes, allowing for flexibility while ensuring a variety of nutrients.
Finesse. “Intricate” and “refined” define finesse, and it's what chef Juan Rodriguez, owner of Magdalena's catering and supper club, says is needed by staff in all types of kitchens, no matter the role held.
When it comes to maintaining high standards in food hygiene, the Four C's – Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling, and Cross-contamination – are your go-to framework. These four principles are widely recognised across the food industry as the foundation of good hygiene practices.
