ETIQUETTE

DINING
DECORUM

made commentsabout how they are not good

enough to drink the nicer bottle.It places the
sommelier, other guests as well as the service
team in a rather uncomfortable position.

STAY ON COURSE

Fine-dining restaurants are known for their

multiple-course tasting menus so its important
to pace yourself and plan ahead. If youre
planning a foodie break with lots of meals in
a short space of time, contact the restaurants
to check how long you need to allow for your
meals, advises Lynes. Get an indication
of portion size and richness of the food,
then gauge if you really want to do a full-on
lunch and dinner on the same day. I had one
of the most memorable meals of my life at
three-Michelin-starred Schwarzwaldstube
in Germanys Black Forest. The food was
exquisite but portions were generous. I left the
restaurant around 5pm utterly replete. The
only problem was that I had an early dinner
booked at the nearby two-Michelin-starred
Schlossberg. With no appetite whatsoever,
what should have been a pleasure turned into
a truly painful test of culinary endurance.

Navigate the world of Michelin stars,

silver platters and prix fixe menus like
a pro with our gourmet epicurean
guide, says Jenny King

ining at a special occasion restaurant

can be an unforgettable yet
intimidating experience with unusual
and often unfamiliar dishes, extensive
grape lists, multiple-course menus and
sometimes a snobby atmosphere to contend
with. Whether you choose a three-Michelinstar establishment or a cult favourite with a sixmonth waiting list, follow these tips to fit right
in with even the most uppity of gourmands.

SUITED AND BOOTED

The first rule of thumb with fine dining is

always check the dress code. Many high-end
restaurants will require men to wear a dinner
jacket and ladies, cocktail attire. Even if the
dress code isnt clear, its better to play it
safe and be overdressed youll feel much
more comfortable and its respectful to other
diners who have made an effort to follow the
restaurants elegant ethos. Richard Vines,
chief food critic for Bloomberg and a man
whose job often takes him to just these sorts
of establishments, feels strongly about this:
I never again want to see a man in shorts
where others are dining. Diners should respect
good restaurants and not show up dressed like
clowns in shapeless trousers and dirty trainers.
Try to arrive early, which not only avoids a
dramatic entrance full of apologies that can put
you on the back foot but also gives you time to
check out the menu, enjoy a pre-dinner aperitif
and become at ease in your surroundings.
Dont do anything to draw attention to yourself
and disrupt the carefully curated atmosphere
that is essential to the experience; other diners
may be enjoying a romantic dinner, discussing
important business or simply trying to relish
the food. When I ate at The French Laundry,
a table of eight in the centre of the room
began to joke loudly with the waiter about Mr
Creosote from Monty Pythons The Meaning Of
Life, recalls food journalist and writer Andy
Lynes. After 19 courses of Thomas Kellers
fabulous food, the last image you want in your
mind is of a grotesquely overweight character
spraying vomit all over a posh restaurant.
Even if you and your pals think its hilarious,
spare a thought for those dining around you.
140 COND NAST TRAVELLER OCTOBER 2014

ILLUSTRATION: MARIE MAINGUY/ILLOZOO.COM

PART OF THE FURNITURE

STRANGE BUT TRUE

And contrary to expectation, overtly flaunting

your wealth or status however impressive
it may be is the ultimate faux pas and does
not actually make the proprietors want to
serve you better. One time a well-known
man in Bangkok pulled up to my restaurant
in his Rolls-Royce, says chef Gaggan Anand,
whose experimental Indian restaurant in the
Thai capital was the highest new entry in
this years Worlds 50 Best Restaurants list at
number 17. From the moment he sat down,
he kept asking loudly how much shares in the
restaurant cost and saying he could buy my
partners out and be my new boss. In the end,
I had to throw him out.

GRAPE EXPECTATIONS

If you are not a grape connoisseur, the endless

options can seem daunting, so put yourself
in the sommeliers hands thats what hes
there for and ask for recommendations

that will complement your meal, but be sure

to give them an idea of your budget. If for
some reason this is awkward perhaps you
are on a date then point at a wine on the list
in your price range and ask for something
you would recommend at about that level,
advises Andy Hayler, a freelance food writer
and critic who has dined at every three-starred
Michelinrestaurant in the world. If you are
hosting a dinner, make sure everyone receives
the same grape, even if some diners may not
have the same knowledge or appreciation
for fine grape. As tempting as it may be,
ordering more expensive grape for certain
guests at the table is not a good idea, says
Virginia Philip, a master sommelier and grape
director at The Breakers Palm Beach.I have
encountered a few of these situations and they
never end well. I have had guests who have
asked me why they cannot have the other
grape and insist on having it.Others have

Some of the worlds top restaurants are known

for their weird and wonderful dishes, from
Heston Blumenthals molecular creations
to Nomas live ants and shrimp which are
not for the faint of stomach. Yet the ordering
is sometimes out of your hands when these
dishes are part of a chefs menu. A doctor
friend of mine was on a business trip in Japan,
and at dinner the most senior person in the

party was presented with a delicacy a shrimp

that was very much alive, says Hayler. The
guy was completely out of his depth, and
although worried about offending he said that
he couldnt eat it. His Japanese counterpart
explained the problem to the waitress who
came back with a pair of scissors, cut off the
shrimps head and said to the guest, Ees

EAT YOUR WORDS

Master the most commonly
mispronounced food names
Foie gras (fwah grah)
Ordering this fine French duck or
goose liver may impress your guests,
but not if you call it foy grass.

Quinoa (keen-wah)
Often incorrectly pronounced as
kwin-oh-ah, this healthy chenopod is
showing up on more and more menus.

Aai (ah-sigh-ee)
This berry, which has become a popular
superfood, is a bit of a tongue-twister
with the pronounced as a soft s.

Bruschetta (broo-sket-ah)
Dont let the silent h in the name of
this Italian appetiser of roasted bread
with toppings trip you up.

Paella (pie-aye-ya)
Make sure you drops the ls in this
Spanish rice dish thats perfect for sharing.

Nioise (nee-swahz)
Any dish with tomatoes, olives, onion
and garlic is described as la Nioise
(just dont forget the z sound).

dead now and smiled, waiting for him to eat

it. Needless to say, this didnt fully resolve the
situation. Ultimately, you need to enjoy your
meal and if youre unsure about a particular
delicacy, say so. It probably wont be the first
time the waitstaff has heard it. On the other
hand, if youre feeling adventurous but just
arent sure about the customs, follow the lead
of others or discreetly ask the waiter.

SNAP HAPPY

Many of us are guilty of Instagramming our

meals, particularly extraordinary dishes, so
its especially tempting at a special occasion
restaurant. But whats the protocol? Taking
food photos at the table is a tricky business,
says Colleen Rush, author of The Mere Mortals
Guide To Fine Dining: From Salad Forks To
Sommeliers, How To Eat And Drink In Style
Without Fear Of Faux Pas. In the context
of fine dining, it feels out of place and
disconnected from the event if youre taking
time to photograph and share your food, youre
ignoring your dining companions and your
food. If you simply must take a picture, turn
off the flash and the sound and do it quickly.
Dont rearrange the table to try to create better
lighting or backdrops for the photo. Take a
quick series then put the phone away dont
start editing and reviewing the images (even
if you want to be sure you got the shot). And
definitely wait until the end of the meal,
or even the next day, to post the pics. Your
dinner isnt breaking news and the world isnt
breathlessly awaiting a photo of your appetiser,
no matter how gorgeous or delicious it is.
Bragging can wait.

SMART CASUAL

These unpretentious yet groundbreaking restaurants offer a relaxed spin on fine dining

RELAE

THE TEST KITCHEN

LIMA

Founded by two alumni of Noma, Christian

Puglisi and Kim Rossen, Relae follows
the principles of New Nordic cuisine in a
relaxed, modern setting. The Copenhagen
restaurants manifest reads Relae works on
focused and tasty food, no muss, no fuss,
essentially ensuring youll have an interesting
yet unstuffy dining experience. Using 90 to
100 per cent organic produce, many of the
dishes have only two ingredients onion and
seaweed, for example. This is quality and
simplicity at its best.
0045-3696 6609, restaurant-relae.dk

Despite sitting at number 48 on San

Pellegrinos Worlds 50 Best Restaurants
list, this shabby-chic eatery located in
the Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town is
surprisingly laid-back. Brit chef Luke DaleRoberts dishes up theatrical, colourful works
of culinary art like his TK Concrete Ball
with kingklip, potato and snoek medley,
black forest ham and fish jus, roasted potato
skin pure and smoked red onion foam
but as complex as the flavours may
be, the vibe is fun.
0027-21-447 2337, thetestkitchen.co.za

Offering high-quality Peruvian cuisine

without the pomp and pretention, this
understated restaurant in Fitzrovia, in central
London, was recently awarded its first
Michelin star. Run by Peruvian chef Virgilio
Martinez, who is also the patron chef of
Central restaurant (number 15 in the world)
in Ecuador, this outpost serves surprisingly
affordable innovative fare like sea bream
ceviche with tigers milk, beef pachamanca
with wild black quinoa and dulce de
leche coffee ice cream.
0044-203-002 2640, limalondon.com
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