KNOW YOUR AFTERNOON TEA

Afternoon tea deals are in abundance these days, but the quality can vary. If you're splashing out, the below can help you both sound like you know what you're doing, and ensure you're not paying through the nose for a bog-standard cuppa.

Tea sommelier Jameel Lalani, whose company Lalani & Co designs the tea lists at luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, has some expert advice for Stylist.

"Avoid ordering the ‘English Breakfast’. There isn't an official rule of what should be in an English breakfast, so you could get a blend of any black tea. If you like full-bodied black teas order a pure second flush (season) Assam," he explains.

“Another tip is to always check the tea’s year of picking. Most hotels and restaurants won’t list the year, but for instance, a first flush Darjeeling should be drunk young – in the first year." So ask away about the origin of your tea and the best time to drink it, and hopefully you won't end up paying £35 for a vintage Tetleys.

DON'T ORDER THE SPECIAL

It usually sounds good, doesn't it? A one-off, limited edition dish rattled off by your waiter or waitress, so brief it's not on the menu and it's just been so popular. However, most restaurant insiders seem to think that specials are simply a way of getting rid of excess stock (fair enough as long as it tastes good) or about-to-go-off ingredients (not quite so appealing). It’s also thought to be an extremely profitable dish that diners are more likely to order because their waiter or waitress personally recommends it, despite knowing it's their job to get you to buy expensive food.

Of course, this won’t be the case in restaurants that change their menu regularly anyway or rely largely on foraged ingredients, so it’s your call.

Words: Amy Swales

* Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester invites guests to explore wine with a series of 'Back to Basics' classes hosted by acclaimed sommeliers Vincent Pastorello and Christopher Bothwell. For more information, call 020-7629-8866

* Chandos Elletson is creator and editor of The Chef’s Directory - the new guide to being a successful chef

Industry insiders share their top restaurant hacks; the secret rules on wine, booking times and queue-jumping