Jay Veregge - Executive Chef, Big Water Grille

Jay Veregge, Executive Chef Big Water Grille - Lake Tahoe’s Premier Fine Dining Restaurant

Jay Veregge - Executive Chef, Big Water Grille header image 2
← Menu Design Part 2: Understanding Culture Through Cuisine Memorial Day Weekend Starts the Summer Fun! →

Menu Design Part 3: The Importance of Small Plates and Tasting Menus

May 16th, 2008 · 7,127 Comments

Taking part in consuming a multiple course tasting menu can be one of the most gastronomically exciting experiences in your life. The difference between eating a single dish as opposed to a 5 or more course tasting menu is like the difference between a musician performing a single song and listening to an orchestra perform a symphony.

When a tasting menu is designed, it is laid out in such a way that each course progess towards the following courses, conditioning your palette for what’s to come. One of the greatest things about a well orchestrated tasting menu is that it deters palette fatigue.

Think for a second about when you order a huge 26 oz steak with a huge side of mashed potatoes at a steak house. Is it going to fill you up? Sure. And that first bite you take is probably going to taste pretty good. But after chewing on 26 oz of steak, bite after bite, tasting the same textures and the same flavors over and over, your palette becomes fatigued. Your taste buds are ready for something new.

When designing a tasting menu, smaller portions are served not only because you will be consuming multipe course, but if done right, you want the person who’s eating each course to wish they had just one more bite. That yearning for more is than replaced with the following course, and once again, the patron wants just one more bite.

This creates, in their mind, a superbly memorable experience. By the ending of the tasting menu, the customer is not bloated and full, but intensly satisfied.

Throw in some great wine pairings with each course, and your tasting menu will be taken to the next level.

During the off season at the Big Water Grille, every now and then we get a special request for a tasting menu. For me as the chef, this is the ultimate compliment. What the guest is saying to me is that they want me to take them on a gastronomic journey, and they trust me to be their guide.

If you are ever in the mood for a great tasting menu, for a true culinary adventure, all we need is a weeks notice and we’d be more than happy to create a custom tasting menu for you. Unfortunately, during the summer and holiday seasons, this is not always an option due to the high volume we experience. But I’ve always believed that Lake Tahoe is most beautiful during the off seasons when there’s less crowds. Not to mention we have the time to pay extra special attention to your dining needs.

We also have a great wine cellar that seats up to 18 people which is a great place to have custom tasting menus done for you and some friends. For more information, visit the Big Water Grille website .

Tags: Food Philosophy

7,127 responses so far ↓