Why This Old-School Steak Preparation Method Fell Out Of Style - Tasting Table

"This retro dish, once a blazing display of luxury, is now a relic of the past. It's made by pan-searing a tender steak ( filet mignon is considered the best cut for steak Diane), then while the meat is resting, its dripping is mixed with butter, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings, and is flambéed with Cognac. Finally, a splash of cream thickens it into an à la Diane sauce, all set to coat the meat."

"Such an enticing description should have guaranteed Diane-style steak a long reign. Alas, that is not the case. It showed up and disappeared all within the 20th century. During this ever-evolving time, restaurants changed in many ways, especially since the 80s. Customers started growing weary of saturated fats found in butter, dairy, and red meat, due to their potential link to cardiovascular diseases. This led to restaurants slowly taking heavier beef and pork dishes off the menu. Inevitably, steak Diane's appeal dwindled"

"This dish's allure also lay in the way it was cooked directly at the customers' tables, over portable wheeled carts. Over time, this practice was employed less and less because of an increase in rent prices, leading restaurants to add more tables and leaving no room to move the carts around. Furthermore, sprinkler systems were implemented as a fire safety measure, making it even less practical to serve steak Diane due to its pyrotechnic tendencies."

Steak Diane is prepared by pan-searing a tender steak (filet mignon is favored), using the pan drippings with butter, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, flambéing with Cognac, then finishing with cream to form an à la Diane sauce. The dish flourished mid-century but faded as diners grew concerned about saturated fats from butter, dairy and red meat, prompting restaurants to drop heavier items. Rising rents pushed restaurants to add more tables, eliminating space for tableside wheeled carts used for flambé service. The adoption of sprinkler systems and stricter fire-safety rules further reduced the practicality of tableside flaming presentations.

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