I guess with age DOES come wisdom. The days of FOMO are so past me that the idea of my bed and Netflix’ing is completely worth it than getting drunk without cause. But, that doesn’t mean that still doesn’t happen.
I realized I needed to become a lady after watching two Netflix shows, The Crown and Chef’s Table. It was two years ago when I changed my mentality from thinking like Queen Bey to Queen Liz. From what I gather, the Queen had a lot to sacrifice that we will never really understand. Something about the Queen fascinates me, and have great respect for her. With the same respect, the life of a chef is so complex and intriguing that I believe that great chefs are geniuses with a ton of loose screws. This is where my love fine dining came about.
It’s no secret I am creative type, and creating a dish that moves all your senses is something more than art, but a divine invention. From a vision with plating to the aroma of the ingredients to that initial illuminating bite to the difference in texture, your sixth sense is meant to be elevated.
Michelin stars have always been a point of contention for me. I have been to many restaurants where the food was great, but apparently not Michelin-worthy. It peaked my interest, and I had to explore more. With expectations of Michelin stars came large expenses. For those who do not know, a typical 3-starred Michelin experience can range anywhere from $400-1,000 per person, but a wide-range of dishes are expected with such experience.
My first experience was in Copenhagen. We decided to try Geranium, which is a 3-Michelin Star restaurant. We had to reserve three months in advance, and even at that only lunch seating was available. We needed it! While taking the elevator up, we didn’t know what to expect. The doors open, and the reception was filled with smiling faces.
Upon entering, there was a sense of warmth and an accord that we all mutually understood. We are here to respect what different ingredients and wonders of creation can do for our tastebuds.
Geranium was a smaller restaurant with open kitchen concept. The seats at the tables were all facing the kitchen. Once seated, we are handed an envelope filled with the glory that is to come; a 16-course arrangement of symphonic commons that go far beyond your imaginations. Be warn, some may seem out of the norm and bring confusion, but that’s the idea; to expose your senses to something different.
Each dish surprised me. Each dish elevated the previous one. It was perfectly timed and executed. Coming from an Asian background where spices take over every aspect of a meal, having different, unknown ingredients bound together was a refreshing experience. I always say that if it is not spicy, then it’s not good. I change my motto to “if it’s not flavorful, it’s not good”. That definitely was not the case for this divine meal.
Now for the Peak + Pit. Of course, “Peak” represents the best, and “Pit” is the least liked. Not all meals have one or the other, but to keep with the theme there must be one for each. Drum roll please…
Peak: It was a simple dish, but a memorable one. The charred potato was to be placed on the sheep’s butter and eaten with one bite. The different textures, the smoked aroma and the thickness of the butter was a wonderful combination in such a small bite.
Pit: Again, there must be one. Though this was an unique, I remember not being overwhelmed with excitement. The hake was interestingly salty, as expected, but the buttermilk mellowed it out.
SABRINA::DIANA 