Chefs’ and bartenders’ favourite hangover cures – and what the experts say really works

A table laden with dim sum, pancakes doused in ginger syrup, and aspirin and Berocca in sparkling water are among the many and varied hangover cures of hospitality folk. Some swear by spicy food, others will mix a Bloody Mary or head straight to the beach for a dip.

But what does the science say about what our bodies need when we've overindulged the night before?

"The best thing for your body is time to sleep," says Professor Merlin Thomas from Monash University's department of epidemiology and preventive medicine. "Intoxication has messed with your sleep and your body clock."

Thomas points out that being hungover and being jet lagged often feel similar: lethargy, lack of focus, thirst and perhaps a headache. Some researchers even believe they have similar origins.

What happens to your body when you drink is a complex set of reactions that, when you've overdone it, become hard to ignore.

Scientifically proven or not, many of us have a formula for relief that's been honed through many years of personal research.

Charley Snadden-Wilson, chef at Collingwood wine bar The Moon, has two. If he's mildly hungover, he'll head straight to Carlton restaurant Chinger Biang Biang, ordering spicy hand-pulled noodles and lamb dumplings. Then it's on to Piccolina for gelato: one scoop of lemon, another of white chocolate. If things are particularly dire, he'll seek out a hopper with chicken curry and dhal at Drums, a Sri Lankan cafe at Preston Market.

Melbourne chef Esca Khoo, who recently opened Miss Mi restaurant, turns to yum cha. "I seriously see it as more than just food. It's super peaceful and almost spiritual. From the first pour of the hot tea, it settles me in for the experience."

A fry-up of bacon, eggs, sausages and more is the foolproof solution for Stefano Catino, who co-owns Maybe Sammy bar in Sydney, recently ranked No. 22 in the World's 50 Best awards. "My wife and I usually make the full English together and eat it in the garden to get a burst of fresh air."

He always tries to drink a litre of water the night before, a great habit to get into if you're hitting the booze, says Dr Evangeline Mantzioris, a dietician from University of South Australia.

Thomas, on the other hand, dismisses theories that hangovers are the same as dehydration, and says that drinking additional fluids (or even using a drip) won't help once you've had a few champagnes too many.

A swim or a cold shower, however, can make you feel more alert, which is probably why the sommelier at Margaret in Double Bay, Jacqueline Turner, likes to head to a Sydney beach the morning after.

Mantzioris says the factors that make you feel so bad can be helped by additional fluids. Or, of course, by not drinking so much in the first place.

"When you drink alcohol the body sees it as a poison and moves into action really quickly to try and get rid of it. It produces byproducts called metabolites that need to be removed from the body. Alcohol also acts as a diuretic so it moves a lot of body fluid. And the third thing is that the body sets up an inflammatory reaction to the alcohol," explains Mantzioris.

Mantzioris says water, coffee or tea are more likely to alleviate a hangover's effects than the hair of the dog, which is Bennelong chef Rob Cockerill's chosen cure. He gives his Bloody Mary a briny kick by using clamato (clam and tomato) juice and also adds horseradish for extra oomph.

"I don't know about putting more alcohol in the system," says Mantzioris. "Maybe have a Virgin Mary instead?"

Aspirin and Berocca dissolved in sparkling water, christened a Triple Fizz by Bridget Raffal, manager and sommelier at Where's Nick in Marrickville, gets two thumbs up from the dietician – almost. The B group vitamins Berocca adds to your system are unlikely to be low after drinking, according to Mantzioris, so Raffal could probably save her money for a nice bottle of wine.

After hearing all of the hangover cures used by these hospitality professionals, Mantzioris's theory is that it's simply comfort people are seeking when they're feeling fragile.

"That's absolutely valid, but there's no evidence behind any of it."

Full English fan Catino and yum cha devotee Khoo both mention comfort with their remedies. "I look for nostalgic meals to make me feel better and neutral," says Khoo.

But Mantzioris has plenty of time for the fresh ginger and orange juice that Joel Bickford, chef at Sydney's Shell House, adds to his pancakes when he's feeling dusty.

Bickford got the recipe from his dad, but ginger is clinically proven to relieve nausea, used for morning sickness, motion sickness and more. Mantzioris says a drink with ginger in it could also do the job.

But then that would mean skipping dad's recipe and all the comfort it brings.

Top hangover cures in Melbourne

Esca Khoo, Miss Mi
Yum cha at Shark Fin Inn (50 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne) or Crystal Jade (154 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne)

Charley Snadden-Wilson, The Moon
Hot oil noodles and lamb dumplings at Chinger Biang Biang (74 Victoria Street, Carlton). Gelato at Piccolina (CBD, Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Richmond). Hopper with chicken curry at Drums (Preston Market, Cramer Street, Preston)

Top hangover cures in Sydney

Jacqueline Turner, Margaret
A swim at a beach where you won't get dunked. "Avoid Bronte at all costs!"

Rob Cockerill, Bennelong
A Bloody Mary made with clamato juice, also known as a Bloody Caesar. Make your own or find it at Bills (Bondi, Darlinghurst, Double Bay, Surry Hills) and Bloody Mary's (2 Elizabeth Bay Road, Potts Point).

Bridget Raffal, Where's Nick
Tacos with loads of chilli sauce at home or the longaniza torta at Maiz Mexican Street Food (415 King Street, Newtown). Yum cha at Zilver (Level 1, 191 Hay Street, Haymarket). Sticky rice sui mai at Best Gourmet (234 King Street, Newtown)