A private chef on TikTok is calling out restaurants for misusing culinary terms on their menus.
TikTok user Dean Boskovich (@deanbosko), whose video has amassed over 939,600 views, shared his frustration with menus that don’t accurately describe the dishes they serve.
Why is the chef frustrated?
Boskovich recounts a personal experience at a restaurant where the menu described a dish as “roasted red pepper bisque, chimichurri grilled shrimp.” Intrigued by the simplicity and classic nature of the dish, he ordered it—only to be disappointed.
“The dish that came out was a blended roasted red pepper soup, but it wasn’t a bisque,” he explains. “Bisque means a specific thing. A bisque is a traditional French soup… really smooth, creamy, velvety. The texture of the soup is what makes it a bisque.”
Instead, what he received lacked the defining qualities of a bisque.
The shrimp also fell short of expectations. Instead of a proper chimichurri—a flavorful Argentine sauce made with parsley, garlic, vinegar, and chili flakes—Boskovich says the dish was simply garnished with olive oil and chopped parsley.
“Drizzling something with olive oil and putting parsley on it is not finishing with chimichurri. It’s insulting,” he adds.
Are menus too overcomplicated?
Boskovich believes the root of the issue lies in some chefs focusing more on flashy menu descriptions than the actual food.
“It’s easy to tell when somebody started by writing a dish description or a menu with a dictionary and then tried to cook the things from there,” he explains.
This approach, he argues, often results in dishes that fall short of the expectations set by their overambitious descriptions.
Instead, Boskovich advocates for a simpler, more honest approach.
“Focus on creating a dish, underselling it on the menu, giving simple descriptions of what’s in the dish, and then letting the customer be delighted when what they order exceeds their expectations,” he says.
How simple dishes can be more successful
To drive his point home, Boskovich shares an example of his own dish from a recent Friendsgiving event.
He says he created a sweet potato tart inspired by sweet potato casserole but elevated with ingredients like chai spice, miso, and smoked sea salt.
Despite its unique flavor profile, Boskovich chose to call it simply a “sweet potato tart.”
“Isn’t it so much more fun to order something simple and then try to investigate why it’s bringing you so much joy rather than order something so fancy and then try to investigate why it sucks?” he concludes.
What type of menu is more desirable?
According to a recent U.S. Foods survey, simplifying restaurant menus can lead to a 20% increase in customer satisfaction and a 15% boost in profits, the Prep reports.
The findings suggest that simplifying menu options doesn’t just make things easier for diners—it can actually be a game-changer for business.
One idea the survey points to is highlighting “hero” dishes. These are the crowd-pleasers that are also the most profitable, making them an easy win for both restaurants and their patrons.
This focus on simplicity extends to the broader restaurant market. Fast-casual restaurants, which often feature straightforward menus with fresh, hearty meals, are thriving.
In 2024, the sector is valued at USD 179.19 billion, according to Straits Research.
@deanbosko #creatorsearchinsights i once again woke up thinking about the watery bisque from three years ago and how chefs and people in the service industry sometimes over sell their food to the point of detriment, where what comes out on the plate is unrecognizable to what was on the menu #fyp #foryou #kitchen #cheftok #hospitality #hospitalityworkers #cheflife #foodandbeverage #restaurant #restaurantlife #server #cook #linecook #bartender #serviceindustry #menu #careeradvice #chefadvice ♬ original sound – Dean | Hospitality Stories
Viewers react
In the comments, users shared their experiences with the issues, both from the perspective of chefs and customers.
“Did a private dinner for a corp, and the guy in charge said, ‘can we use fancier words for the menu? Maybe add some French in there,’” shared one user. “Like NO?? I’ll call it what it is dude.”
“If I get one more opera cake when the menu says tiramisu I am going to flip,” exclaimed another.
“Garlic aioli is the one that gets me,” wrote a third. “ALL AIOLI IS GARLIC! ITS THE MAIN INGREDIENT! and you just gave me garlic mayo!”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dean Boskovich via website contact form and Instagram direct message.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
