My Salt Problem

[MitchW]

Yes, I've been privately ranting about this for a while, but I feel as if it has gotten out of hand.

Why so much goddamn salt?  Is anyone teaching cooks how to salt properly any more?

The other night, I watched as a cook salted my app before it got served to me - I wanted to scream, yo - enough!  And there's already salt in the food for sure, so putting another teaspoon atop doesn't really make it better.

But we have had two meals since the beginning of the year that I feel are worth mentioning, because the salt levels were proper. At both Ci Siamo and Via Carota, we had lovely food, and I wasn't up all night drinking water.  Interestingly, both are places where the chef is a woman or women, and let's just say, of a certain age. 

[small h]

I have been complaining about this since I learned to complain, which was a long time ago. I'm not sure over-salting is gender- or age-specific; it might. But I think it has a lot to do with whether the chef smokes (cigarettes). 

[MitchW]

Smoking, yes.  I believe age and training too - none of the chefs I worked for would allow some of this stuff to be sent out so salty.

I think location, too.

[GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry]

As someone who experienced anosmia and parosmia with my infection, I wouldn't be surprised if Covid was also a factor. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44187-025-00471-x https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/covid-chef-smell-taste-18152469.php

[maison rustique]

I am a salt-aholic. I swear I should just put a salt lick on my plate. I keep thinking there is some medical reason for this craving, but my doctor says I'm fine. And my sodium levels are very low. Low enough that he's keeping an eye on it. Very odd. Anyway, I, too, have noticed restaurants increasing the salt in things. I used to automatically salt my food because I knew there wouldn't be enough, but I have stopped that practice and now taste first.

And I know a lot of chefs and a lot of them smoke--not sure when that started happening, but I don't recall that many chefs smoking back in the old days.

[MitchW]

1 hour ago, maison rustique said:

And I know a lot of chefs and a lot of them smoke--not sure when that started happening, but I don't recall that many chefs smoking back in the old days.

I don't know how old the days are, but Bourdain smoked like a fiend.  Jean-Louis Palladin was a pretty heavy smoker - who died of lung cancer.  Marcella smoked incessantly. My guess is there were a lot of French and Italian guys chefs who cooked way back when and smoked like fiends.

[Orik]

I think it's just how recipes are written these days - a series of precise steps meant to deliver consistent results, followed by "...then grab a fistful of finishing salt and, without thinking, drop it over the perfectly fine plate of food"

[MitchW]

2 hours ago, Orik said:

I think it's just how recipes are written these days - a series of precise steps meant to deliver consistent results, followed by "...then grab a fistful of finishing salt and, without thinking, drop it over the perfectly fine plate of food"

When I am able to see the kitchen or the line, I see this all the time!

[Wilfrid]

Reminds me of dinner some years ago at Petit Crenn, sitting at the counter right opposite the chefs. Young guy cooking was constantly tasting whatever was in the pan (he must have got through a thousand spoons); every time he did, he reached for the salt and added more to the dish. He was clearly beyond the point at which he could really taste anything.

The dinner was, of course, inedibly salty.

[MitchW]

I wonder if my new request to the kitchen is going to be: "Please don't add finishing salt to my plates?"

Actually, when the wait persons asks if there are any allergies, that's a great time to say: "yes, I'm allergic to finishing salt!"

Edited March 1 by MitchW

[Wilfrid]

I already have a ban on adding finishing salt that has been on anyone's arm, popular though that is.

[maison rustique]

@MitchW, the old days I was referring to, in retrospect, were when I lived in So. Calif. so 45 or so years ago from early 1980s to 2009 or so. And I know very well that smoking was already taboo, since I still smoked back in the 80s and 90s. I suppose I based that on the chefs I knew back then when I felt like the only person in SoCal who did smoke. Ha!

[Simon]

On 3/1/2026 at 8:57 AM, Orik said:

I think it's just how recipes are written these days - a series of precise steps meant to deliver consistent results, followed by "...then grab a fistful of finishing salt and, without thinking, drop it over the perfectly fine plate of food"

I understand that there's at least one restaurant that combats this trend by prohibiting this exact practice.

Edited March 5 by Simon