Luxury dining: Dive into the world of refined seafood, local coast and land foraging, regional cuisine, personalised tasting menus and traditional culinary processes. Why not let an immersive experience, coastal or seasonal gastronomy influence a specific culinary course or dictate the theme for your next soirée? Or be inspired by a nation’s heritage and culture and share it with your guests at your wedding.
Journey with us around the world, as we uncover some of the most exceptional luxury dining experiences available today to help you shape your next menu or event.
Read time: 3 – 5 minutes
Key takeaways:
— Inspirational, luxury dining experiences from around the world
— Discover exceptional cuisines from some of the best chefs and restaurants on the planet
— Intimate, seasonal, local and personalised are staple features of each of these world-renowned restaurants
From luxury dining experiences at restaurants situated five-metres under water to 3,500 metres above sea level, let these menus and approaches to responsible, sustainable gastronomy inspire your next event.
Norway
Taking luxury dining to the next level, Head Chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard of Under in Norway, centers on connecting his patrons with the wildlife and marine ecosystem that surrounds the restaurant. Using sustainable, responsible principles, Chef Ellitsgaard forages from the rugged coastline and selects fish and seafood from the icy waters of the North Sea.
In this way, he encourages guests to explore and taste marine life in a completely unique way. The restaurant’s rarely encountered ingredients are treated with the utmost creativity and delicacy. The focus is pure, naked flavours. Ingredients from the sea include sea arrow grass, sea rocket and sea kale, while the coastline yields juicy berries and mushrooms.
The journey of discovery on the plate is paired with an exquisite selection of drinks including wine, cider and non-alcoholic beverages. And, the gastronomic wonder of the menu is matched only by the restaurant’s dramatic location… five metres below the surface of the sea.
South Africa
In the coastal village of Paternoster, two hours’ drive from central Cape Town, Head Chef Kobus van der Merwe showcases seasonal produce from the local environ, including seafood, local lamb and venison at restaurant Wolfgat. In stark contrast to the exterior of the restaurant, a humble fisherman’s cottage with peeling paint and low doorframes, the seasonal menus are an exquisite journey into high-end South African culinary expertise.
The seven-course menu features wild foods and botanicals picked from the land, including Rooibos leaves, mebos, bokkoms, amasi, dune celery and wild fennel, and is made with respect to local heritage and traditions. One dish may simply be known as ‘oyster’, where pear, Strandveld vermouth, sea pumpkin and strandsalie complement the hero ingredient.
Each dish is exquisitely arranged on custom-designed crockery. It’s a storytelling adventure of extraordinary fare from land and sea, and with a maximum of 20 covers at any given time, the experience is as intimate as it is unique.
Peru
Situated 3,500 metres above sea level, MIL is a 45-minute drive from the Andean city of Cusco along the winding roads of the Sacred Valley. The off-grid restaurant’s fine dining cuisine is aligned with the farmlands, botanicals, fermentation and distillation processes of the local environment as well as the artisans, collectors and traditions of the local community.
With a tasting menu of eight plates, known as ecosystems, MIL is an immersive journey into the Andean way of life. The ingredients are all regionally harvested and heavily reliant on potatoes, grains and vegetables. The dishes are light in nature owing to the high altitude’s effect on the appetite. Each course is paired with an in-house infusion of local herbs distilled using traditional methods, as well as craft chocolate and coffee.
A truly unique luxury dining experience, and the brainchild of Virgilio Martinez, MIL’s ethos and cuisine regularly earn the restaurant a top spot on the lists of world’s best restaurants.
Hong Kong
Gourmet Chinese ingredients such as dried seafood, fish maw, bird’s nest and sea cucumber grace the menu at The Legacy House, Hong Kong. Chef de Cuisine, Li Chi-Wai, showcases his understanding and appreciation of Shunde cuisine from China’s Southern Guandong province.
Dishes from Northern China, such as Peking Duck and suckling pig also feature on the menu. Chi-Wai regularly visits Hong Kong’s wet markets to source Cantonese ingredients and the restaurant’s clientele have come to expect no less than the best and freshest fare. Exceptional dim sum parcels of deliciousness include deep-fried turnip puffs with crab meat, steamed spotted Grouper dumplings and steamed Mantis Shrimp dumplings and highlight why the Shunde region is so renowned for its cuisine.
Italy
Self-styled as an intimate once-in-a-lifetime experience of one of the most renowned kitchens in the world, Francescana at Maria Luigia has been curated by three-Micheline star Chef Massimo Bottura. The limited capacity restaurant is nestled in an intimate Country House deep in the Emilian countryside. And every dish tells a story of the Italian landscape and is presented as a work of art.
The tasting menu features a seasonal 9-course tasting menu with playful titles that give away little as to the delicacies to come. The crunchy part of the lasagne rubs shoulders with Five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano, in different textures and temperatures, and Oops ! I dropped the lemon tart. The lasting impression is one of rich flavour, passion and inclusivity.
USA
The three-Michelin-starred limited seating, intimate restaurant SingleThread is a farm-restaurant-inn that offers its guests an 11-course tasting menu. The California restaurant is surrounded by 24 acres of biodiversity managed with responsible land management. From cultivating healthy soil to growing a rotating crop of hundreds of varieties of culinary crops and cut flowers, the menu similarly focuses on seasonality and locality.
Ingredients include Zephyr summer squash, Kyoto carrots, Purple Thai basil, Malabar spinach, Swiss chard, Borage, Yarrow and Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. The plot also features chicken coops, an heirloom fruit orchard, olive trees, beehives and a cattle paddock, all of which supply bounty to the restaurant kitchen. The menus are personalised to meet the needs and preferences of their dining guests.
Every meal at Sinle Thread is a luxury dining experience. Guests at the inn enjoy breakfasts such as the Japanese Breakfast with Cedar Roasted Salmon, Dashimaki Tamago, Yuzu Kosho Donabe Rice, Vegetable Salad with Sesame Dressing, Miso Soup and Fresh Fruit.
UK
Showcasing the art of wood-fire cooking, The Clunie Dining Room in the heart of the Cairngorms, Scotland, highlights Scottish produce. Head Chef Marcus Sherry creates menus using the finest seasonal produce. Entrées include Wood-Roasted Asparagus, Anchovy, Sourdough, Preserved Wild Garlic, and Stonehaven Lobster accompanied by Grilled Baby Gem, Lobster Emulsion and Fennel.
Meanwhile, main courses include Wood-Roasted John Dory, Beans, Paprika and Mussel Vinaigrette, as well as Invercauld Estate Venison Loin, Ember Cooked Beetroot, Black Garlic and Lardo. While the dessert menu features Highland Sticky Toffee Pudding, butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream, or a two-person Rhubarb Baked Alaska served with custard and toasted meringue.
The menu is served against a backdrop of cubistoid mural artwork, representing the ruggedly beautiful drama of the Cairngorms, created by Argentinian artist Guillermo Kuitca. Luxury dining at its finest.
Create a luxury dining experience for your next party
Important as it is, luxury dining is just one ingredient for a truly memorable party or event. If you’re looking for more inspiration for your next party, social bash or celebratory event or to book a consultation, visit our blog or speak to one of our dedicated event planners. You can either complete the form below or call 01932 22 33 33. You can also email hello@mgnevents.co.uk.
Further reading:
5 inspiring global wine producers on social
5 tips for planning a sustainable party
4 new and exciting luxury event trends
2 immersive must-haves for modern and exclusive social events
