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The Chef's Table: Taking Dining Out to the Next Level
The Chef's Table: Taking Dining Out to the Next Level
BY: PAMILLA TOLEN
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Are you looking for something unique to celebrate a special romantic occasion? Then think about a “Chef’s Table” dinner. Traditionally, a chef’s table is located in the actual kitchen of a restaurant. This table is reserved for VIPs and special guests of the restaurant owner, or Executive Chef. Normally the head chef prepares a special themed dinner that may, or may not be on the regular restaurant menu. To receive an invitation eat at the chef’s table is a very special event and an experience beyond a regular meal at a nice restaurant.
Chef Watson invites you to participate in his Chef’s Table, available by reservation only.
Photo Courtesy: Michael A. Anderson Photography
The chef is not only in charge of preparing the special meal, but he or she also interacts with each guest, giving them information about the food preparation and even a short history of their fining dining experience. He or she talks about each course that will be served during the meal. It is an intimate dining experience for 2 to 10 guests, normally developed around a theme for the meal with as few as 4 courses or as many as 8 to 10.
Today, although the traditional location is still available in some restaurants, the idea has been modified in modern eateries. Many don’t have the kitchen space available, so, they set aside an area within the main dining room. Some have dedicated rooms, or even have a table in their wine cellar. We found two such restaurants that provide this service in the Cabarrus area, 44 Mills in Concord and 73 and Main in Mt. Pleasant. There are also several Charlotte restaurants, as well as one in Davidson, which provide this dining experience. Reservations are always required and, because of the nature of the dining experience, the cost is a flat fee per guest which is slightly higher than a traditional meal. Usually, the price ranges from $80 to $200 per person for a small group, or around $100 per person for a larger group.
We interviewed Michael Watson, Executive Head Chef at 44 Mills, about his background as a chef and how his restaurant entertains guests who wish to enjoy this type of dining experience. Chef Watson is also a partner in the restaurant.
Chef Watson came to Concord from Jacksonville, Florida, where he has been cooking professionally since the age of 16. Initially, he was trained by a group of chefs whom were winners of the prestigious James Beard Award. The James Beard Foundation Awards are annual awards that recognize culinary professionals in the United States. He then attended Johnson-Whales University in both Providence RI and Charlotte NC, where he graduated. According to Chef Watson, he has desired to be a professional chef since the age of 14, when he worked as a cook at a Boy Scout camp earning $100 a week.
What makes a chef’s table meal unique? According to Chef Watson, “While the customer might choose to have the meal centered around a particular theme ( i.e. a romantic dinner for two, or a business dinner, or a special occasion with friends) part of the dining experience is that the guests do not know in advance what each course will be, until it is presented by the dedicated wait staff. There are no menus pour over, no wine lists to ponder. The chef does it all. You are simply there to be pampered and enjoy the experience.”
Upon arriving at the 44 Mills restaurant you will be escorted to a table set aside apart from the main dining area. The table will be set to perfection and your host or hostess will greet you and explain how the experience will begin.
—Michael Watson, Executive Head Chef at 44 Mills
Your dedicated wait staff will be introduced, and they will proceed to take any drink orders. If the dinner includes wine, the chef will choose the wine that pairs with each course so there is no need for a wine menu. Your wait staff is exclusively yours and will not be serving other diners during your meal. At some point Chef Watson will come to your table to talk about the food and wine you will be enjoying. His explanations can include a history of the food, and even the preparation itself.
Every course of your meal is prepared in a manner that will build on your enjoyment. Just as the wine is paired with each course of food, the food itself is selected to meld with the next course, bringing the end of the meal to a delightful crescendo of tastes that leaves you feeling you have just experienced a gastronomic experience of a lifetime. At 44 Mills, Chef Watson chooses the menu carefully to compliment the theme, and the guest’s dietary concerns. Because restaurants usually have only one allocated chef’s table, you can be sure the focus of your dedicated staff will be on your needs exclusively. Because this meal is charged at a flat fee, the only other consideration you have is a nice gratuity for the phenomenal service you receive.
Several years ago, I had the privilege of experiencing a chef’s table that still resonates with my taste buds to this day. It began with a first course of fruit and champagne to titillate the taste buds. Next the soup was served. It was a cold Gazpacho (tomato soup). The third course was a small salad with balsamic dressing. The fourth course was the fish course of ceviche (usually made with red snapper lemon and lime juice) and sometimes cilantro. Each course is small and only meant to open your taste buds to a variety of flavors. No one course is meant to fill you up, but rather collectively blend with the other courses to enhance your food experience. Also, the courses are served slowly giving you time to enjoy conversation with your guests and ask the chef any questions you might have about the food. The chefs table is never rushed. Then the interlude or intermission in the meal arrives. This is where the palate is now given a chance to clear and prepare for the main course. During this time, a small cup of sherbet is given to each guest. Next, the main course of meat was served. During my meal, it was a filet with a specially prepared glace’. Whether is beef or fowl, it will always be something the chef has especially prepared to be the crowning glory of the meal. It will be an item of his or her choosing, which may include a special glace’ on beef or chicken and any additional accoutrements such as vegetables that enhance the presentation on the plate. For people with dietary restraints, it can be a vegan or vegetarian meal, and even gluten-free. With each course a different wine can be served which accentuates the flavor of the food in that course. Regardless, the main course will be a work of art. The chef is the artist and the diners are there to enjoy the art for as long as they desire. Finally, after guests have enjoyed the main portion of the meal, a dessert is served that is the final exclamation point to a meal you will never forget. Coffee or hot tea is offered to guests, and now it’s time to relax and just enjoy the last moments of a very memorable meal.
In this day of fast food and a plethora of restaurants that want to turn over tables as rapidly as possible, the chefs table is a place to take a breather and enjoy the experience of dining as in days gone by. It’s a place where you can show that special person how much being with them means to you. Or an event to share with friends that want to enjoy a special dining experience together. You don’t have to know a lot about food, or wine, or entertaining because the chef and his or her dedicated staff do it all for you, and make you look and feel like royalty. You don’t have to do a thing, just sit back and relax with the confidence that everything will be perfect.
Since February is the month of romance, why not try something really unique to give that special person in your life a night to remember? Give him or her an evening with the chef at his table.
