Dining out is changing. It’s no longer just about ordering from a menu, but stepping into the kitchen, hearing the chef’s story and taking a journey through food. Currently a mainstay in Europe but gaining popularity in North America, chef’s tables and tasting menus are quickly becoming the ultimate experience for curious diners who want more than just a good meal.
Chef’s tables and tasting menus are redefining the dining experience, and it’s time you tried them. Aulis, London. Photo credit: Jennifer Allen.
kAm%96 D9:7E 😕 9@H A6@A=6 5:?6 @FE 😀 92AA6?:?8 😕 <:E496?D 3:8 2?5 D>2==] *@F’== 7:?5 :E 😕 D@>6 @7 E96 H@C=5’D 7:?6DE |:496=:?\DE2CC65 6DE23=:D9>6?ED[ 3FE 2=D@ 😕 :?5:6 D>2==\E@H? 62E6C:6D E92E 7@4FD @? BF2=:EJ 2?5 D6CG:46] $FC6[ J@F 42? DE:== 6?;@J 2 >62= @FE 2E J@FC 72G@C:E6 C6DE2FC2?E[ 3FE H96? J@F ECF=J H2?E 2 DA64:2= 5:?:?8 6IA6C:6?46[ =@@< 7@C @?6 E92E @776CD 2 4967’D E23=6 @C E2DE:?8 >6?F]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr967’D E23=6D 2?5 E2DE:?8 >6?FDk^9am
kAmr967’D E23=6D 8@ 36J@?5 2 FDF2= 5:?:?8 C@@> D62E] %JA:42==J[ J@F D:E 😕 @C ?62C E96 <:E496? 2?5 @7E6? 92G6 2 G:6H @7 E96 4967D 2E H@C<] xE’D 2 369:?5\E96\D46?6D D62E E92E 3C:?8D J@F 4=@D6C E@ E96 24E:@?] k^Am
kAm%9:D F?:BF6 D62E:?8 2CC2?86>6?E @776CD 5:??6C 2?5 2 D9@H[ @7E6? H:E9 E96 9625 4967 @C DE277 AC6D6?E:?8 2?5 6IA=2:?:?8 6249 5:D9] %9:D 2==@HD 5:?6CD 2 492?46 E@ :?E6C24E H:E9 E96 <:E496? 4C6H 😕 2 H2J E92E H2D AC6G:@FD=J :>A@DD:3=6]k^Am
kAmr967’D E23=6 >6?FD 2C6 @7E6? E2DE:?8 >6?FD[ 3FE J@F 42? 2=D@ 7:?5 E9@D6 H:E9@FE 2 D62E 2E E96 4967’D E23=6] p E2DE:?8 >6?F 😀 2 42C67F==J 4FC2E65 D6BF6?46 @7 D>2==6C A=2E6D] t249 >62= E6==D 2 DE@CJ @C D9@HD 2 AC@8C6DD:@? @7 D@>6 D@CE] !6C92AD :E 😀 D62D@?2= :?8C65:6?ED E2<:?8 46?E6C DE286[ @C :E’D 2? 6IAC6DD:@? @7 E96 4967’D 4F=:?2CJ 324<8C@F?5 @C A9:=@D@A9J]k^Am
kAm%2DE:?8 >6?FD 2C6 2 8F:565 ;@FC?6J @7 >F=E:A=6 4@FCD6D[ @7E6? 244@>A2?:65 3J H:?6 A2:C:?8D] *6D[ E9:D 😀 2 >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 H2J E@ 5:?6] %96 AC:46 A6C A6CD@? 😀 @7E6? D:8?:7:42?E=J 9:896C E92? 2? :?5:G:5F2= 6?EC66[ 3FE :E’D ECF=J 2 56=:4:@FD H2J E@ 6IA=@C6 E96 36DE E96 C6DE2FC2?E 92D E@ @776C]k^Am
kAmr967’D E23=6D 2C6?’E ;FDE D62EDj E96J’C6 7C@?E\C@H E:4<6ED E@ E96 2CE:DECJ @7 7@@5] w6C6 2C6 D@>6 @7 >J 72G@C:E6 4967’D E23=6D 2?5 E2DE:?8 >6?FD]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm|FC2?@[ {@?5@?k^9am
kAmpE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>FC2?@=@?5@?]4@>^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm|FC2?@k^2m[ p?86=2 w2CE?6EE’D @?6\|:496=:?\DE2CC65 C6DE2FC2?E[ E96 E2DE:?8 >6?F 😀 2 56=:4:@FD ;@FC?6J E9C@F89 >@56C? xE2=:2? 4F:D:?6] u@C86E DA2896EE: 2?5 >62E32==Dj E96 >6?F 😀 56D:8?65 E@ D9@H42D6 E96 36DE D62D@?2= :?8C65:6?ED[ 2?5 :E @7E6? 6G@=G6D 32D65 @? H92E’D 7C6D96DE E92E 52J] s:?6CD 42? 6IA64E 9@FD6\>256 A2DE2D[ 56=:42E6 D627@@5 2?5 A6C764E=J 32=2?465 D2F46D[ 2== 4C27E65 H:E9 w2CE?6EE’D D:8?2EFC6 E@F49i D:>A=6[ 9@?6DE 7@@5 E92E’D 566A=J D2E:D7J:?8] x E9@C@F89=J 6?;@J65 E96 E2DE:?8 >6?F 2E E9:D 4@KJ 2?5 :?E:>2E6 62E6CJ[ 3FE =:<6 2== {@?5@? C6DE2FC2?ED[ J@F ?665 E@ 3@@< H6== 😕 25G2?46] k^Am
kAmpE |FC2?@[ E96 4967’D E23=6 @776CD AC:G2E6 D62E:?8 H:E9 2 H:?5@H G:6H @7 E96 <:E496?’D 24E:@?] %9:D 😀 ?@E >J :562= 4967’D E23=6 6IA6C:6?46j J@F 42? 86E >F49 36EE6C 😕 {@?5@?] |J C64@>>6?52E:@?i 6?;@J E96 E2DE:?8 >6?F 2E |FC2?@[ :E ECF=J 😀 DA64E24F=2C] $2G6 J@FC 4967’D E23=6 6IA6C:6?46 7@C 2?@E96C C6DE2FC2?E]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qms:??6C 3J w6DE@?[ {@?5@?k^9am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]5:??6C3J96DE@?]4@]F<^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQms:??6C 3J w6DE@?k^2m :D?’E ;FDE 5:??6Cj :E’D 2 566A 5:G6 :?E@ E96 9:DE@CJ @7 qC:E:D9 7@@5[ C6:?G6?E65 E9C@F89 E96 =6?D @7 D4:6?46 2?5 4F=:?2CJ DE@CJE6==:?8] %96 E2DE:?8 >6?F C625D =:<6 2 ;@FC?6J E9C@F89 E:>6[ H:E9 6249 5:D9 42C67F==J C6D62C4965 2?5 6IA=2:?65] u@C 5:?6CD[ E96 6IA6C:6?46 😀 A2CE E962EC6[ A2CE =6DD@? 2?5 7F==J :>>6CD:G6] k^Am
kAmx H2D 6DA64:2==J 2AAC64:2E:G6 @7 E96 23:=:EJ E@ 49@@D6 9@H >F49 :?7@C>2E:@? x H2?E65 @? 6249 5:D9] x7 J@F’C6 @? 2 C@>2?E:4 52E6 E96C6[ J@F >2J H2?E E@ D<:A E96 9:DE@CJ @7 6249 5:D9] u@C 7@@5:6D[ x DF886DE 962C:?8 23@FE E96> 2?5 E96 E649?:BF6D FD65 😕 6249 >62=]k^Am
kAms:??6C 3J w6DE@?[ 2 EH@\|:496=:?\DE2CC65 C6DE2FC2?E[ 😀 2 >FDE\ECJ[ 3FE E96:C 4967’D E23=6 H2D F?:>AC6DD:G6] xE H2D D6E 324< 7C@> E96 <:E496?[ 2?5 H9:=6 E96 D62E:?8 H2D :?E:>2E6 2?5 E96 G:6H @7 E96 <:E496? 8@@5[ x’G6 D66? >F49 36EE6C 4967’D E23=6D]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8QmpF=:D[ {@?5@?k^9am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2F=:D]4@]F<^2F=:D\=@?5@?Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmpF=:Dk^2m 😀 2D :?E:>2E6 2D :E 86ED] (:E9 ;FDE 2 92?57F= @7 D62ED[ $:>@? #@82?’D {@?5@? 4967’D E23=6 DEC:AD 2H2J E96 32CC:6CD 36EH66? <:E496? 2?5 8F6DE] s:?6CD 2C6 ?@E ;FDE H2E49:?8j E96J’C6 A2CE @7 E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ E2DE:?8 6=6>6?ED 2D E96J’C6 AC6A2C65 2?5 =62C?:?8 23@FE E96 >:4C@\D62D@?2= :?8C65:6?ED E92E D92A6 6249 5:D9]k^Am
kAm%96 7C@?E 5@@C E@ E9:D 4@KJ DA246 E92E 9@=5D 2 D>2== C646AE:@? 2C62 2?5 E96 `a\D62E 4967’D E23=6 😀 F?>2C<65 2?5 @77 2 D>2== 2==6J 😕 {@?5@?] %96:C 4967’D E23=6 😀 E96 A:??24=6 @7 4967’D E23=6 5:?:?8 6IA6C:6?46D] *@F D:E 2E E96 4FCG65 E23=6 5:C64E=J 24C@DD 7C@> E96 4967D[ H9@ 2C6 AC6A2C:?8 E96 7@@5 ;FDE 2 76H 766E 2H2J 7C@> J@F]k^Am
kAm%96 4967D E2=< E@ J@F 2D E96J AC6A2C6 E96 7@@5[ 2?5 BF6DE:@?D 2C6 :?G:E65] %96 244@>A2?J:?8 E2DE:?8 >6?F 492?86D 7C6BF6?E=J[ @7E6? 5C:G6? 3J H92E’D 2E :ED A62< E92E 52J] xE’D 2? 6IA6C:>6?E2=[ 92?5D\@? 6IA6C:6?46 H96C6 4FC:@D:EJ 😀 H6=4@>6 2?5 6249 5:D9 766=D =:<6 2 4C62E:G6 C6G62=] xE 😀 62D:=J @?6 @7 >J 2==\E:>6 72G@C:E6 5:?:?8 6IA6C:6?46D] k^Am
kAm!C@ E:Ai pF=:D 3@@@?E9D 😕 25G2?46] v6E @? E96:C 6>2:= =:DE 2?5 H2E49 7@C 2 ?6H 32?< @7 C6D6CG2E:@?D E@ @A6?]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm~C:2[ q2C46=@?2k^9am
kAmpE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>@?F>6?E9@E6=]4@>^6?^@C:2\C6DE2FC2?E\32C46=@?2\`\>:496=:?^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm~C:2k^2m[ |2CEí? q6C2D2E68F:’D |:496=:?\DE2CC65 C6DE2FC2?E[ E96 E2DE:?8 >6?F 😀 E96 962CE @7 E96 6IA6C:6?46] xE’D 2? 6=682?E[ >F=E:\4@FCD6 ;@FC?6J E92E 3=6?5D q2DBF6 :?DA:C2E:@? H:E9 |65:E6CC2?62? 7=2:C[ @776C:?8 5:D96D E92E 2C6 G:DF2==J DEF??:?8 2?5 7=2H=6DD=J 32=2?465] %96 >6?F 9:89=:89ED 56=:42E6 D627@@5[ 42C67F==J =2J6C65 D2F46D 2?5 E6IEFC6D E92E 4@>6 E@86E96C 😕 A=2E6D E92E 2C6 2D DEF??:?8 E@ =@@< 2E 2D E96J 2C6 56=:4:@FD E@ 62E] t249 4@FCD6 766=D :?E6?E:@?2= 3FE ?6G6C 7FDDJ] k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr26=:D[ q2C46=@?2k^9am
kAmpE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]426=:D]4@>^6?^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmr26=:Dk^2m[ r967 #@>2:? u@C?6==’D |:496=:?\DE2CC65 C6DE2FC2?E[ 2 3@=5 2?5 :>28:?2E:G6 E2DE:?8 >6?F 32=2?46D uC6?49 E649?:BF6 H:E9 r2E2=2? D@F=] t249 5:D9 😀 2 4C62E:G6 DE2E6>6?Ei A=2J7F=[ >@56C? 2?5 7F== @7 DFCAC:D6D] u@C?6== :D?’E 27C2:5 E@ AFD9 3@F?52C:6D[ 3FE 96 2=H2JD DE2JD 2?49@C65 😕 E96 BF2=:EJ @7 9:D :?8C65:6?ED] tIA64E r2E2=2? D627@@5[ =@42= >62ED 2?5 DE2?5@FE D62D@?2= AC@5F46[ 6249 4@FCD6 AC6D6?E65 H:E9 7=2:C 3FE 8C@F?565 3J E9@F89E7F= 7=2G@C 4@>3:?2E:@?D] k^Am
kAm(9:=6 E96C6 😀 ?@ 565:42E65 4967’D E23=6 2E r26=:D[ 2 9@CD6D9@6\D92A65 32C D62E:?8 2C@F?5 E96 <:E496? @776CD 2 7C@?E\D62E G:6H @7 2== E96 4F=:?2CJ 24E:@?]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm|6C46C w@E6=[ q2C46=@?2k^9am
kAm%F4<65 :?D:56 2 9:DE@C:4 3F:=5:?8 H:E9 2?4:6?E #@>2? H2==D[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>6C46C32C46=@?2]4@>^6?^C6DE2FC2?ED\2?5\32CD^>6C46C\C6DE2FC2?EQm|6C46C #6DE2FC2?Ek^2m 😀 H96C6 r2E2=2? 4F:D:?6 E2<6D 46?E6C DE286 😕 E96 92?5D @7 2 4967 566A=J 4@>>:EE65 E@ =@42= EC25:E:@?] %96 E2DE:?8 >6?F 😀 2? 65:3=6 >2A @7 r2E2=@?:2] x? E96 D<:==65 92?5D @7 r967 )2G:6C {29F6CE2[ 5:D96D 2C6 4C62E65 H:E9 D627@@5 7C@> E96 ?62C3J 4@2DE[ AC@5F46 7C@> =@42= >2C<6ED 2?5 2CE:D2?2= 4966D6D 7C@> E96 C68:@?’D >@F?E2:? G:==286D]k^Am
kAmpE |6C46C[ E96 4967 5@6D?’E ;FDE 4@@@C6 E92? 2 >62=] s:?:?8 2E |6C46C 😀 2 4F=EFC2= ;@FC?6J D6CG65 A=2E6 3J A=2E6]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm$:IE9:CEJ?:?6[ (@@5DE@4<[ ~?E2C:@k^9am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D:IE9:CEJ?:?6]4@>^Qm$:IE9:CEJ?:?6k^2m AC@G6D E92E J@F 5@?’E ?665 E@ 36 😕 2 3:8 4:EJ E@ 6IA6C:6?46 2 H@C=5\4=2DD 4967’D E23=6] x? (@@5DE@4<[ ~?E2C:@[ E9:D D>2==[ 72>:=J\CF? C6DE2FC2?E 92D 3F:=E 2 =@J2= 7@==@H:?8 H:E9 :ED 9JA6C=@42=[ 72C>\5C:G6? E2DE:?8 >6?FD] %96 4967 4C27ED 6249 4@FCD6 2C@F?5 H92E’D 7C6D9 2?5 😕 D62D@?[ D@>6E:>6D 6G6? 92CG6DE:?8 E96 :?8C65:6?ED E92E D2>6 52J] %96 4967’D E23=6 96C6 766=D 6DA64:2==J A6CD@?2=i 2 D>2== D:I\A6CD@? E23=6 3F:=E C:89E :?E@ E96 <:E496?[ @776C:?8 J@F 2 7C@?E\C@H G:6H @7 2== E96 24E:@?]k^Am
kAmp44@>A2?:65 3J 86?F:?6 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ 2? F?9FCC:65 A246 2?5 5:D96D E92E D9@H42D6 E96 BF:6E 362FEJ @7 ~?E2C:@’D 28C:4F=EFC2= =2?5D42A6[ $:IE9:CEJ?:?6 😀 E96 <:?5 @7 A=246 H96C6 5:?6CD H2=< 2H2J 766=:?8 =:<6 E96J’G6 ;FDE 6?;@J65 2 >62= 😕 2 7C:6?5’D 9@>6] ~?=J 96C6[ E96 >62=D 4@>6 H:E9 C6DE2FC2?E\=6G6= AC64:D:@? 2?5 42C6]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr967’D E23=6 @?3@2C5 r6=63C:EJ rCF:D6Dk^9am
kAmr6=63C:EJ rCF:D6D E2<6D E96 4967’D E23=6 4@?46AE E@ E96 9:89 D62D] x C646?E=J 6?;@J65 2 4967’D E23=6 5:??6C @? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]46=63C:EJ4CF:D6D]4@>^:?E^4CF:D6\D9:AD^46=63C:EJ\36J@?5Qmr6=63C:EJ q6J@?5k^2m[ 2?5 5:??6C H2D 6I46AE:@?2=] $E2CE:?8 😕 2? :?E:>2E6[ AC:G2E6 5:?:?8 C@@>[ 6G6CJ 5:D9 H2D 4C62E65 3J v=@32= rF=:?2CJ p>32DD25@C s2?:6= q@F=F5] (9:=6 96 H2D?’E @? E96 D9:A[ 9:D 6I46AE:@?2==J EC2:?65 DE277 6I64FE65 6249 5:D9 H:E9 AC64:D:@?[ 2?5 E96 9625 4967 AC6D6?E65 6249 >@FE9\H2E6C:?8 4@FCD6]k^Am
kAmw@FD65 😕 E96 4CF:D6’D DA64:2=EJ C6DE2FC2?E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=6\G@J286]4@>^6?Qm{6 ‘@J286k^2m[ 8F6DED D6EE=6 :?E@ 2? :?E:>2E6 5:?:?8 D6EE:?8 H96C6 4967D 2?5 D@>>6=:6CD F?G6:= 6249 4@FCD6 2?5 H:?6 A2:C:?8 E23=6D:56] uC@> E96 @A6?:?8 E@2DE E@ E96 7:?2= 7=@FC:D9[ r6=63C:EJ’D 4967’D E23=6 @776CD 2 7F== 6G6?:?8 A6C764E 7@C 7@@5 =@G6CD D66<:?8 D@>6E9:?8 6I46AE:@?2= @? E96:C G@J286]k^Am
kAm!C@ E:Ai #6D6CG6 J@FC 4967’D E23=6 6IA6C:6?46 H96? J@F 3@@< J@FC 4CF:D6] %96J @?=J @776C :E @?46 5FC:?8 2 8:G6? :E:?6C2CJ[ 2?5 :E’== 3@@< FA BF:4<=J]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 7:?2= 3:E6k^9am
kAmuC@> D>2== E@H?D =:<6 (@@5DE@4<[ ~?E2C:@[ E@ 4F=:?2CJ 42A:E2=D =:<6 {@?5@? 2?5 q2C46=@?2[ E2DE:?8 >6?FD 2C6 E96 F=E:>2E6 H2J E@ 6IA6C:6?46 E96 G6CJ 36DE 2 C6DE2FC2?E 92D E@ @776C] %96J 2C6?’E ;FDE 23@FE 5:??6C[ 3FE 23@FE DE6AA:?8 :?E@ E96 4967’D H@C=5 2?5 ECFDE:?8 E96:C G:D:@? 7C@> DE2CE E@ 7:?:D9] (96E96C J@F’C6 D6EE=:?8 😕 7@C 2 E9@F89E7F==J 4C27E65 E2DE:?8 >6?F @C E2<:?8 2 7C@?E\C@H D62E 2E 2 4967’D E23=6[ E96D6 6IA6C:6?46D @776C >@C6 E92? ;FDE 8C62E 7@@5] %96J 56=:G6C 2 7F== 6G6?:?8 @7 6?E6CE2:?>6?E[ H96C6 E96 <:E496? 364@>6D E96 DE286 2?5 6G6CJ 4@FCD6 😀 A2CE @7 E96 DE@CJ]k^Am
kAmy6??:76C p==6? 😀 2 C6E:C65 AC@76DD:@?2= 4967 2?5 =@?8\E:>6 HC:E6C] w6C H@C< 2AA62CD 😕 5@K6?D @7 AF3=:42E:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 |$}[ *29@@[ %96 (2D9:?8E@? !@DE 2?5 %96 $62EE=6 %:>6D] %96D6 52JD[ D96’D 3FDJ 😕 E96 <:E496? 56G6=@A:?8 C64:A6D 2?5 EC2G6=:?8 E96 H@C=5[ 2?5 J@F 42? 7:?5 2== 96C 36DE 4C62E:@?D 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4@@^Qmr@@< (92E *@F {@G6k^2m]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^4967D\E23=6D\2?5\E2DE:?8\>6?FD^Qmr967’D E23=6D 2?5 E2DE:?8 >6?FD 2C6 C6567:?:?8 5:?:?8 6IA6C:6?46Dk^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am