Ten years ago hiring a chef meant hiring a cook. Today a host in London, Paris or New York can assemble a brigade of three from the freelance pool, add a captain, two servers and a sommelier, and produce an evening that no restaurant in the city could staff permanently for six guests.
Why the food can be better
Three reasons, and they are all structural. The plate travels four metres instead of forty, so temperature is perfect. The pace belongs to the table rather than to a second sitting, so nothing is rushed. And the portions are built for twelve known people, not for an average guest, which changes how a menu can be designed.
The catch
It only works where the room can carry it: a plating bench, a place to wash out of earshot, enough power, and a table that sits down on time. Our tasting menu format sets out what the evening actually demands, and the kitchen check tells you whether your venue can host one before you commission a menu.
