8 Course Meal Restaurant Style
Immerse your senses in a speakeasy fine-dining experience that elevates culinary excellence. This incredible meal includes 8 stellar dishes hand crafted on site & wine pairings.
After the fish course, you’ll likely be served a palate cleanser such as citrus sorbet or fresh fruit. Usually, dessert is the final course.
First Course
Course one is the hors d’oeuvre or amuse bouche, a bite-sized appetizer that serves to stimulate the appetite or hint at flavors to come in subsequent courses. The first main course is often a fish dish, which provides a flavorful light protein before the meat dishes of the meal.
Remember to serve your guests the right utensils for each course. They should start with the utensils that are set furthest from their plates and work toward them as the meal progresses.
Second Course
The second course is a larger appetizer plate that can be themed. Take diners on a world tour, for example, with appetizers from different countries and cuisines.
The next main course is usually fish such as shrimp scampi or grilled fish steaks. Poultry or red meat is also common. Palate cleansers such as lemon sorbet are commonly served between courses. End the meal with a cheese course and after-dinner drinks.
Third Course
A third course is often an appetizer or small bite-sized snack. It can be a delicate amuse bouche or a plate of raw fish served crudo style, house-cured charcuterie or a selection of dips. Remember to serve this course with distinct dinnerware and silverware and to adhere to utensil etiquette. Also, remove plates promptly before serving the next course.
An 8 course meal consists of an hors d’oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, main course, palate cleanser, dessert and mignardise.
Fourth Course
A fourth course can include rare vegetables, roasted delights or special cuts of meat, coupled with savory & spiced sauces. This is often accompanied by a salad.
This is an intermezzo course that cleanses the palate before moving on to the main course. This may be a sorbet or another light palate refresher. This can also be an amuse bouche.
Fifth Course
A formal meal can have a variety of main course options. These can be local meats, rare fish or unusual cuts of poultry paired with complex sauces.
The fifth course may also include a salad or other raw vegetables. This is usually served after the first three courses and can be a palate cleanser for your guests. You can also serve a special cheese platter with light accompaniments.
Sixth Course
A sixth course can be any appetizer or hors-d’oeuvre. Remember to set a table based on the number of courses and follow utensil etiquette by serving the outermost utensils first. Also, clear plates promptly to avoid overcrowding the table.
The final two courses are the main courses, which allow chefs to showcase their skills with meats and fish. Choose a theme for your dishes to tie the meal together.
Seventh Course
The main courses represent the pinnacle of the meal. They’re designed to showcase the chef’s skills and feature high-quality ingredients like local meat, exotic fish or complex sauces.
The main course is usually followed by a palate cleanser, such as lemon sorbet, and dessert. This allows diners to digest the heavy food before enjoying the finale. It’s important to remember that each course requires a different set of dinnerware and silverware.
Nineth Course
A final course at an eight-course meal is a palate cleanser and often a mignardise. This can be a simple as an iced coffee with lemon or as elaborate as a sorbet or a small dessert. The last course is also an opportunity to showcase a theme, such as a culinary world tour or a selection of dishes with one ingredient. Serve this course in a smaller plate to make room for the next course.
Tenth Course
A full course meal usually includes an hors d’oeuvre, soup or salad, appetizer, main course, fish or meat, dessert, palate cleanser, and mignardise. A typical menu also features a selection of wines, both from new and old world.
The latest addition to Addison’s roster of tasting menus is an eight-course dinner with Michelin two-star chef William Bradley. It’s part of a series of California Collaboration dinners that Bradley hosts with chefs from around the state.
