Dear chef, when should I buy fresh herbs over dried herbs?

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Question

Dear chef, when should I buy fresh herbs over dried herbs? Which herbs are better dried? Are certain dishes better with a certain preparation of herbs and spices?

Answer

“Both fresh and dried herbs have their place in the kitchen pantry. Nothing beats fresh torn basil on a summer tomato and mozzarella salad or a margarita pizza. Yet dried basil or oregano is fine to use in your marinara sauce. I love fresh herbs, as the oils that create the aromatics are at their highest point, and if you are using them in a salad, it is a better texture. Some of the dried herbs that we use normally come in the fall or winter when the fresh ones are not as readily available. A great example is dried sage in your Thanksgiving stuffing or dried tarragon-infused champagne vinegar for making a béarnaise sauce. We utilize excess herbs grown at the Palmetto Bluff Farm by drying them and adding them to a finishing salt, such as a rosemary-infused Maldon sea salt, which is a favorite to finish our red meats.”

— Chef Rhy Waddington, Director of Culinary at Palmetto Bluff Club