Compliment from the chef as the face of any restaurant

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Such a small but pleasant marketing ploy, like a compliment from a chef, became popular in Russia not so long ago. Many reputable establishments are ready to offer the guest to evaluate the work of their cuisine even before the main meal. Where does this tradition come from?

History of occurrence

The literal translation of the phrase amuse de bouche sounds in Russian as "entertainment for the mouth." Knowing the name of a compliment from a chef in their native language, it is easy to guess that this tradition appeared in Europe. Back in the last century, European fine dining establishments tried to find more and more new ways to leave an indelible impression in the memory of the guest, and hence the desire to return.

In Russia, the culture of giving a compliment from a chef is not yet so developed. Often, guests who receive a small snack during a meal change ask the waiter several times if it will be on their check later.

What is it for

Served amisbouche can serve one of several purposes or all at oncesome. First of all, it is to whet the appetite of the guest. Such a client will probably order more dishes in the future than he expected. Secondly, in reputable establishments, almost all dishes are sent to the hall "from under the knife", and this can mean a long cooking time. So that the guest does not get bored while waiting for a hot meal, they can serve a tiny snack weighing 15-20 grams, which will brighten up the break. Sometimes, as a compliment from the chef, you may be offered a miniature version of a dish that will soon be included in the restaurant menu. Thanks to such amisbush, it becomes clear whether it will be in demand in the future.

The last option involves the use of subtle human psychology. Having received pleasant emotions in the form of a compliment from the chef, the client is more likely to remember this institution for any other evening. The most popular and prestigious restaurants in the world serve such intermediate dishes several times in one meal. By the way, this does not affect their budget at all, because the cost of the main dishes more than pays for the costs of creating amisbouche. If the guest really liked the served appetizer, then additional portions can also be served for free or still include their cost in the bill. This moment is at the discretion of the administration of the institution.

Ingredients

A compliment from the chef, the recipe of which is often developed by the chef himself, was not created at all in order to satisfy the visitor's hunger. That is why he has suchmodest in size and does not contain ingredients that are heavy on the stomach. As a basis, fish, seafood, warm pate or mushrooms are most often used. Moreover, these components will be about 5-10 grams. The rest of the compliment will consist of vegetables and sauces.

The cost of amisbush, according to the standards, does not exceed $1. It is this price that allows you to make a decent snack that does not negatively affect the restaurant's income.

Recipe from Ivlev

The famous Russian chef Konstantin Ivlev, as a true connoisseur of European cuisine, is happy to introduce a culture of giving compliments in his restaurants. Sometimes amisbushi even have a seasonal change. For example, one of the most popular recipes among guests is mushroom cappuccino soup with morel powder.

For cooking you will need:

• dried morels - 80g;
• mushrooms - 300 g;
• butter - 100 g;
• vegetable oil - 30 ml;
• olive oil - 20 ml;
• heavy cream (not less than 33%) - 400 ml;
• cognac - 70 g;
• s alt, pepper to taste.

To start, fry the washed and randomly cut champignons in vegetable oil in a deep saucepan. In the process of frying, add butter and half the morels. Then add cognac and cream, bring to a boil. After that, the dish should languish over low heat for 4-5 minutes. At this time, add spices. After 5 minutes, send the soup to a blender and pour into cups or glasses. The remaining morels alsogrind with a blender and decorate them with our warm appetizer on top. Fragrant restaurant dish is ready!

Compliment from Gordon Ramsay

No less popular in Russia is the famous chef from Scotland Gordon Ramsay. His restaurants already have 16 Michelin stars. And of course, in each of them you will be served excellent amisboushi. Maybe even more than once a night. A great example of such a starter at Ramsay's is bruschetta with courgette and ricotta. From the products you will need:

• 2 zucchini;
• 8 pieces of fresh ciabatta, at least 1cm thick;
• 200g ricotta cheese;
• a few sprigs of fresh mint;
• olive oil;
• sea s alt and black pepper.

Zucchini, cut diagonally 0.5 cm thick, must be mixed in a bowl with oil and spices. After that, they are grilled on both sides until golden brown and laid out on napkins to remove excess oil.

Ciabatta should be lightly drizzled with oil and fried until lightly browned. Ricotta is mixed with mint, s alt and pepper, after which it must be spread on warm slices of bread. Arrange zucchini on top and garnish with mint leaves. This appetizer is best served while still warm.

More compliments

Don't confuse amysbouche with other compliments from a chef. In addition to the appetizer we talked about today, you may be offered a small portion of an alcoholic drink for free. Such a compliment would be calledappetizer. But a small portion of fresh sorbet, served before dessert, is called an entremet. It is designed to cleanse your taste buds of the bright colors of the main dishes before the sweet. Most often, citrus fruits are used to make this sorbet.