Before we start, let’s define what a degustation is. A degustation is three to twelve small plates of food (courses) in a row. A degustation menu is designed for you to experience multiple different flavours and culinary skills in a single sitting.
The first degustation menu was served in France early in the 1900’s. Originally, a degustation was multiple large meals spread across many hours of dining, sometimes half a day. In modern times a degustation rarely lasts more than 3 hours and is made up of smaller portions all contributing to creating one meal.
As an example, we have placed our premium degustation menu below, you can also find this in our degustation menus page.
Premium 5 Course Degustation
$290pp
Pumpkin Ravioli
burnt butter, marron, caramelised onion and cherry tomato
Potato Gnocchi
mushroom puree, blue swimmer crab, j-choke chips, truffle, fried leek, mustard leaf, verde
John Dory
scallop mousse, champagne sauce, caviar, chives
Little Joe Short Rib
creamed potato, BBQ onion, crispy shallots, red wine jus
Belgium Chocolate Mousse
chocolate soil, biscuit, Chantilly cream, nitro raspberries, orange marmalade
Creating The Best Degustation Menu
When you are viewing a degustation menu, you will notice it often begins with the smallest, lightest courses first. Typically, these are the vegetable or seafood courses. This is intentional. Chefs do this to ensure the courses are in an order of flavour intensity/depth. This is the same reason why you start with white wine before red.
From here, you are likely to work your way into lighter proteins or ‘white meats’. These will be your chicken and pork courses. Usually paired with sweeter vegetables to balance out the proteins.
Then, you will finish the savoury courses with your red proteins. Lamb, Beef and Duck will usually make an appearance. This is also where you are most likely to receive your starchy carbs, like mash potatoes or gratin. This will almost always be paired with a red wine. The darker the meat (e.g. duck) the bolder the wine (e.g. shiraz).
Desserts! No introduction needed, we all love a sweet course to finish the meal. This will typically be paired with a sweet wine or port.
Pairing Perfection: Wine and Degustation Menus
Here is an example of a wine pairing for the above menu.
1. Pumpkin Ravioli
Chardonnay – A lightly oaked Chardonnay balances the richness of the butter and complements the sweetness of the pumpkin and marron.
2. Potato Gnocchi
Pinot Gris – A crisp Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris enhances earthy mushroom and truffle flavours and balances the briny blue swimmer crab.
3. John Dory
Blanc de Blancs Champagne – The Champagne will highlight the light texture of the John Dory and the elegance of the caviar.
4. Little Joe Short Rib
Shiraz – A full-bodied Barossa Valley Shiraz matches the richness of the short rib and red wine jus, with tannins that balance the creamy potato.
5. Belgium Chocolate Mousse
Tawny Port – Tawny Port’s nutty, caramelised notes enhance the chocolate and balance the tart raspberries and orange.
The Art of Presentation in Degustation
A degustation menu is usually the most exciting for a chef to create. It is where we get to show our skills and create Instagram-worthy dishes. This is when all the pretty garnishes, fancy sauce swipes, and silky smooth pureé bottles come out. This is when your meal turns into a work of art.
How to Host the Best Degustation at Home
In transparency, hire a caterer (haha). Whilst chefs love creating these menus, they are a lot of work. There is a reason we spend years in kitchens learning how to do this properly. But, if you would like to try it yourself, here are a few tips.
- Stick to three courses
The first few times you create a degustation, stick to three courses. Otherwise, you will have a shopping list longer than a Chinese scroll.
2. Only have one course that involves cooking
Try and make your entrees something simple, like oysters with a delicious dressing, or a prawn and mango salad. Similarly with the desserts. Buy a pre-made brownie or mousse. Chop up some fruit and add some roasted hazelnuts. If you’re feeling fancy, dust some icing sugar on top.
3. Your main course. This is where you can spend your time. Buy a nice protein, season it well and cook it beautifully. For the sides, try including some roasted veggies, mashed potatoes or blanched broccolini. Caramelise some sliced mushrooms and add them to a pre-bought jus. (pro tip, add a sprig of thyme for the extra flavour).
Hire Catered by Matt for the Best Degustation in Sydney.
If it sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. Enquire below if you would like one of our restaurant-trained chefs to create a truly exceptional fine dining experience in your own home.