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The journey begins... "Welcome to my world!" shouted Chef Sotiris while opening the kitchen door. We were shown into an empire of food, a large kitchen, clean and neat, spacious and relaxing, where masters prepare the fine food offered at the Four Seasons. "Waw!" was my first reaction, my first shout... I love kitchens and this one is pretty awesome.
This isn't a review, but an event where I had the chance to meet the chef and busy staff behind every meticulously prepared plate at the Four Seasons.
Tonight's event was prepared to perfection. After touring around the second floor kitchen, we took the elevator down to the first floor. "Fasten your belly", a cartoon refreshed the spirit inside the elevator before the door opened. Five large pictures displaying the menu were posted on the fridge and a couple of meters in front of us was true and pure amazement.
Inside the kitchen, yes, in the kitchen next to the furnaces, was a superb, large table set to welcome 15 people. Classical music plays in the background, a clean sound for an event that exudes finesse and luxury. I was sure that something wonderful was around the corner.
"Welcome to the Four Seasons, we are happy to welcome you," said Chef Sotiris. "The concept is still the same we've changed the salads and main dishes. We have approached the sharing concept differently, the dessert is still the same, as is the homemade sourdough bread which we will start with. I'm happy you're here and hope you'll enjoy your evening."
Najib Moutran, my dear friend and famous wine connoisseur, took the floor afterwards. He was chosen to select the wines for the evening, one with every plate. We were going to start with a rose champagne, Chardonnay, Domaine de Baal, calvados and a burgundy-style wine served chilled, called Fleurie. For the rotisserie we wanted to have a special wine. Afterwards, the meat, which Four Seasons is famous for, we chose Heritage, a barrel-aged wine which matched perfectly with the meat. If you're not a wine person, you can have the calvados or a malt.
Tonight's menu:
- Yellow fin tuna tartar, japanese soy dressing, salmon roe
- Grilled white asparagus, proscuitto, black truffle vinaigrette
- Grilled sea bass filet, crustaceans, saffron bouillon
- Green apple sorbet
- Organic chicken roti, butternut squash puree, crispy shallots
- US primne tenderloin, potato boulangere, natural jus
- Caravane des desserts
Wines of the night:
- Poncereau, Fleurie, Louis Jadot, White
- Domaine de Baal, 2011
- Meursault, Louis Jadot
- Heritage, Chateau 2003, Red
Served in a beautiful glass bowl, a cylindrical design landed in front of us. A layer of avocado topped with a yellow fin tuna tartare bathing in a Japanese soy dressing. Adding a touch of finesse, some salmon roe was enough to make of this plate a fine piece of art. Served cold, the salmon was tender and a bit firm, the fish is cold, full of flavor and of a perfect quality, and the sauce is here to put a smile on your face. A subtle saltiness and a hint of wasabi caress your palate while the full bodied ingredients take action around your taste buds. That's simple finesse, a portion to enjoy but not to fill you up.
While waiting for the next plate, I couldn't but look in the bread mold. The famous Four Seasons bread, one of the finest this country has to offer, a sourdough bread that's airy and light filled with nuts and crunchy bits, a salty hint of wonder, a crunchy border, a rich heart... I could eat that all day. Please enjoy it with a lick of butter and remember me.
Just imagine: Two grilled white asparagus spears marinated with truffle oil and rolled with prosciutto. Cooked in the oven, the asparagus is warm and meltingly soft, while the prosciutto has a chewy, enjoyable texture. The ultimate finesse were the black truffles on top. Beautiful textures, great aromas, amazing flavor. What a plate! I loved it.
I only got the chance to try two out of the seven plates tonight. I will be passing by for another detailed review soon, meanwhile enjoy the photos of the kitchen’s mouthwatering plates.
