Any way you slice it

What is it about steak and fathers that go hand in hand like apple pie and ice cream? Is it an extension of the patriarchal image of a father carving the roast at the family table? Or is it the quintessentially masculine feel of early steakhouses?

During the 1970s, steakhouses were dressed up as executive meeting places where fortunes were built and squandered over good steaks. Steakhouses have since evolved, but the ones that ooze authenticity and tradition still have a whiff of testosterone.

'Early steakhouses were spit and sawdust,' says Stephen McCrimmon, general manager of Morton's of Chicago. 'Just a few cuts of meat and very simple surroundings. People didn't drink wine with steaks in those days. Whiskey was what they drank, and there was a lot of smoking, cigars, noise, hustle and bustle.

'Every steakhouse has a unique signature. You know what to expect, and it is always delivered. It's about consistency and getting the best cuts available. We spend a lot of money on grills. It is a big investment.'

But a steakhouse can't deliver a home-cooked meal from the heart on Father's Day, no matter how much the cooks might worry about getting the difference between rare and medium rare right.

Burn the steak to a crisp, and the old man will still appreciate the gesture, if not the food. It is true that few dishes are as no-nonsense as a grilled steak. You just add meat to fire, time perfectly, rest and serve. But for all its simplicity, cooking a steak can be challenging.

With the assistance of steak experts, we can help you serve a fine steak instead of a charred doorstop or gummy flesh. We begin with selecting your cuts.