Buzz
Aside from a select few upscale steakhouses and classic dining establishments, the practice of tableside food preparation by poised waiters in white shirts and aprons is increasingly rare and nearly forgotten. As a child, I fondly remember the excitement of dining out with my parents, captivated by the spectacle of servers pouring, stirring, shaking, cracking, and even igniting dishes right beside our table. Below are 10 iconic dishes celebrated for their tableside preparation.
10. Steak Tartare
Steak tartare consists of finely chopped or ground raw beef. While the meat is prepared in the kitchen, the final assembly takes place at your table. Accompanied by ingredients like onions, capers, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, olive oil, and cayenne pepper, it is crowned with a raw egg yolk. The server expertly blends the yolk into the meat, incorporating your preferred additions, and serves it atop a lettuce bed with toast on the side.
Some individuals express concerns about consuming raw meat. Typically, it is ground from premium cuts in small quantities at the restaurant. This minimizes the risk of bacterial contamination, as smaller batches mean any issues would be confined to that specific portion. Additionally, restaurants often trim the surface meat, where bacteria reside, and repurpose it elsewhere to further mitigate risks.
9. Baked Alaska
The term 'Baked Alaska' originated at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City in 1876. This indulgent dessert features sponge cake, ice cream, meringue, and other components. The meringue, piped around the cake and ice cream, serves as insulation when the dessert is briefly placed in a scorching oven, allowing the meringue to set while keeping the ice cream intact. Traditionally, it is brought tableside and dramatically flamed with hot liqueur before serving.
8. Crepes
Crepes are essentially ultra-thin pancakes, often filled with savory or sweet ingredients or enjoyed plain. They can also be flambéed for a dramatic presentation. One of the most famous flambéed crepes is Crepes Suzette, which features an orange-infused sauce. Legend has it that this dessert was created by accident when a 14-year-old sous chef, Henri Charpentier, accidentally ignited his crepe sauce. He named it after Suzette, the daughter of Britain’s future King Edward VII. Flambéing burns off most of the alcohol in the liqueur, leaving behind its rich flavor. Common liqueurs used in Crepes Suzette include Cointreau (an orange-flavored liqueur) and brandy.
7. Chateaubriand for Two
Chateaubriand evokes images of fine dining and opulence. It’s not a specific cut of meat but rather a preparation method. Named after Francois-René de Chateaubriand, a pioneer of French Romantic literature, this dish typically uses a thick cut of tenderloin, weighing 10 to 12 ounces, and is designed to serve two. While most of the cooking happens in the kitchen, the final tableside service involves carving the meat. It’s traditionally served with béarnaise sauce or a demi-glace, accompanied by vegetables and roasted potatoes.
6. Specialty Coffees
While not technically a food item, tableside coffee preparation adds a memorable touch to an elegant dinner, especially when the coffee includes a spirited twist. Spanish coffee is a popular choice for this presentation. Typically, the server dips the glass rim in lemon or lime juice, coats it with sugar, and adds rum, brandy, and Kahlua, which are then flambéed. The drink is finished with freshly brewed coffee, whipped cream, and a cherry, offering a delightful alternative to traditional desserts.
5. Pepper Steak
Pepper steak, also known as steak au poivre, is a classic French dish featuring steak encrusted with coarsely cracked peppercorns. The steak is pan-seared in butter or oil by your server using a scorching skillet to create a flavorful crust while keeping the center tender and rare. The pan is deglazed with brandy, which is then ignited, and the resulting sauce is enriched with cream before being drizzled over the steak. This dish is a personal favorite among tableside culinary performances.
4. Cherries Jubilee
This flambéed dessert was created by French chef Georges Auguste Escoffier in honor of Queen Victoria’s 1887 Jubilee. Traditionally, it uses pitted bing cherries, though canned cherries are sometimes used for convenience. The cherries are simmered in a caramelized blend of brown sugar and butter, enhanced with Kirsch, a cherry-based German brandy, which is then flambéed. The final mixture is served over vanilla ice cream for a decadent treat.
3. Caesar Salad
Among all tableside-prepared dishes, Caesar salad remains the most beloved. Invented in 1924 by Italian chef Caesar Cardini at his Tijuana, Mexico restaurant, it was famously assembled right at the table. This salad is often credited as the first to transition from a side dish to a main course. While many recipes include anchovies, Cardini’s original version did not. Interestingly, in the late 1990s, California banned Caesar salads due to a health law prohibiting raw eggs in food, leading to a brief underground market for the dish. The law was amended in 1998, resolving the issue.
2. Steak Diane
Steak Diane is believed to be an American creation from the late 1950s or early 1960s, during the height of French cuisine's popularity. Unlike Steak au Poivre, which can be prepared in the kitchen, Steak Diane is almost exclusively flambéed tableside. Its rich wine sauce and dramatic presentation have made it a staple at classic restaurants. Originally, the dish was designed for venison, with its bold sauce complementing the sweetness of deer meat. It was named after Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt.
1. Bananas Foster
This flambéed dessert, named after Richard Foster, chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission, was invented at Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans in 1951. Brennan’s flambés an impressive 35,000 pounds of bananas annually for this iconic treat. Combining bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, rum, and banana liqueur, the mixture is ignited and served over vanilla ice cream, making it a crowd favorite.
+ Bacon and Egg Ice-cream
I’ve included this as a bonus item since it’s exclusive to one restaurant, but it’s worth highlighting as a prime example of how avant-garde dining establishments are incorporating tableside preparation into their menus. Featured in Top 10 Unusual Cooking Concepts, this dish showcases the innovative use of freezing techniques. While freezing has always been a kitchen staple, modern methods like extreme temperature freezing and liquid nitrogen are revolutionizing the process. Liquid nitrogen, in particular, creates ice cream with unparalleled smoothness by preventing ice crystal formation. This technique can also turn pure fruit juices into sorbets in minutes. In the video above, a waiter from the Fat Duck prepares bacon and egg ice cream tableside. Having experienced this dish firsthand, I can attest to its extraordinary flavor.
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