I'm a chef sharing 6 of my favorite drinks to order at Starbucks and 6 I never get

• I'm a chef and there are some Starbucks drinks I love ordering and others I never do.
• I prefer hot drinks to iced beverages, and I'm a big fan of the chai latte and plain green tea.

As a chef who often needs a caffeine boost, I'm a regular at Starbucks. But I don't like every drink the chain has to offer.

Here are the things I love to order, plus the drinks I tend to avoid.

Nothing beats an English-breakfast tea latte

It's about time that some other teas got the royal treatment that Earl Grey has had in a London fog (a lavender tea latte) for far too long.

English breakfast is a bolder, stronger, and more flavorful tea. It's also delicious when topped with steamed milk and foam (I get extra).

Plain, hot green tea is also a go-to

When I want something light but warm, I'll get a hot cup of Emperor's Clouds and Mist green tea, which Starbucks sources from Teavana.

It has a touch of caffeine but isn't as rich or grassy-tasting as a matcha latte.

I prefer my green tea with nothing added.

I've grown to really enjoy the honey flat white with almond milk

Honey and coffee is an underappreciated pairing that works really well in a flat-white drink.

It's light, with just a bit of sweetness that's not overpowering.

Since almond milk doesn't foam as well as regular milk, a smooth flat white is a good way to do it justice in a steamed coffee drink.

I know an oat-milk cappuccino will wake me up

When I'm looking for caffeine from Starbucks (or any coffee shop), an oat-milk cappuccino is my go-to order.

Oat milk adds a subtle sweetness and foams up nicely.

I ask for extra foam and make it extra hot so I can savor every sip.

When I need an afternoon boost, I get a chai latte

I love a chai latte, especially as an afternoon pick-me-up on a chilly day.

I find that Starbucks' chai concentrate can be a little sweet, so I like to ask for one less pump of chai syrup.

If I'm looking for an extra jolt, I'll add a shot of espresso for some bitterness (also called a "dirty chai").

My chilled drink of choice is a vanilla-sweet-cream nitro cold brew

I tend to choose hot over iced drinks at Starbucks. But if I'm in the mood for something chilled, I love the smoothness of nitro cold brew with a touch of sweet foam.

The vanilla sweet cream cuts through any bitterness in the coffee, so it tastes like a milkshake, without all the extra sugar.

On the other hand, I don't think crème-brûlée flavoring belongs in coffee

The crème-brûlée experience is a very specific one that should involve cracking through a glass-like sugar shell.

Starbucks' super-sweet caramel-brulée latte doesn't do the elegant French dessert justice, in my opinion.

I'd inevitably end up crashing as a grande cup has 48 grams of sugar and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

I never order a plain espresso from Starbucks

For me, a plain shot of espresso is too bitter, too short-lived, and too caffeinated.

It sends me on an express trip to jittersville, with a final stop at a headache, so I steer clear.

The toasted white-chocolate mocha Frappuccino is too sweet for me

I tend to avoid anything white chocolate, and Starbucks' frosty drink is no exception.

If the toasted white-chocolate mocha wasn't enough to send me into a sugar crash, the seasonal drink comes topped with whipped cream and sugar sparkles.

I don't think the steamed apple juice is worth it

In general, I'm team cider over apple juice.

But if there was ever a reason I wanted to drink hot apple juice, I'd probably use my microwave and save the $3.

I'll occasionally drink a hot London fog, but I don't think it works as an iced drink

Adding ice to a latte sort of cancels the fun.

I love the foamy head on a steamed tea latte, but Starbucks' iced London fog turns into a watered-down milky tea all too quickly.

Starbucks' matcha latte isn't my favorite

I love matcha, but I tend to skip it at Starbucks because the chain uses a presweetened powder that I can't adjust to my taste preferences.

I've also found that it doesn't seem to have the same potency or flavor as pure ground green tea.

If you're looking for a great matcha latte, find a cafe that makes it fresh and prepares it with bamboo whisks.