“I don’t understand why people go there”: Renowned chef on the restaurant chain he just doesn’t understand

Every week, our Money blog team interviews chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks and more. Today, we chat to Steven Smith, chef patron of Japanese restaurant KAJI in Manchester.

I don’t think we should be looking at a minimum spend in restaurants… but maybe a deposit. No-shows have a much larger impact than someone ordering a small meal.

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My go-to cheap meal is… Gochujang butter stir-fried noodles. It’s spicy, savoury, and seriously satisfying. This recipe serves two….

• 200g dried egg noodles or instant ramen (no seasoning packets)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 100g white cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, peeled into ribbons or thinly sliced
• 2 medium eggs

The most overrated restaurant is… Hungry Horse Carvery. You can eat well on a budget, so I don’t understand why people still choose to go there.

My favourite restaurant chain is… Rudy’s pizza – you know what you’re gonna get, fantastic price, quick service. I’d probably order one of their specials, but you also can’t go wrong with their classic margherita.

It’s fine to just order tap water… We have to cater for everyone. With the current economic climate, we don’t want to exclude anyone. A guest who comes in for a small meal one day may love it and come back with their whole family the week after. You never know.

A great cheap eat in Manchester is… Kabana in the Northern Quarter – amazing Pakistani food that’s cheap and delicious. I’d go on a Sunday and get their special Lamb Nihari.

The one thing I hate that some customers do is… say they have stringent dietary requirements, then change their mind when they want to try something. It makes a mockery of people who have real dietary requirements or allergies.

One thing I never want to see in a restaurant again… silver service and white gloves.

Influencers… There is certainly a place for them in the restaurant world – a lot of them are massive foodies, so really do appreciate the food we serve. However, if an influencer visits a different restaurant every week for free and praises everyone equally, then their content isn’t very authentic. That’s why we still need the press guides – they’re a more veritable source.

The best chefs in the UK are… Mark Birchall, chef patron at Moor Hall and Gareth Ward, chef patron at Ynyshir. I’ve known Mark since I was 17 and have immensely enjoyed watching his constant pursuit of excellence. And as for Gareth, I really admire his IDGAF attitude. They’re at two ends of the spectrum, both cooking at the highest possible standard, but one has embraced the rule book, and one has ripped it up.

The best city in the world to eat is… New York.

I’ve kicked customers out… Once, it was two football hooligans having a scrap. Then we’ve had customers being rude to me or my staff. If you came for dinner at my house, you wouldn’t be rude – so why do people think it’s ok to be rude at a restaurant? You’re coming for dinner at mine, so treat me and my staff with respect.