All's fine with fine dining

Are we even talking about the future of fine dining anymore? Perhaps, by now, we've come to realise that it will always be there, it will just, like everything else, evolve and adapt. Announcing Season III of JAN Franschhoek earlier this week, I thought about what fine dining looks like at the moment.

Some of what we traditionally imagined as fine dining might still be relevant, but it has become so much more exciting than intimate tables, white tablecloths, silver and crystal, acclaimed chefs, pretty plates, sommeliers with impressive cellars and hefty bills at the end of the meal. Let's take the JAN Franschhoek example. While the linen, cutlery and stemware might be old-school, a communal 18-seater table in a tiny countryside, 18-century cottage with room for a maximum staff of five might be more quint that what you'd expect from a fine-dining culinary experience. In this instance, the offering speaks to culinary heritage and memories of food and family, interpreted to offer authentic hospitality, culinary art and luxury.

While the menu here is always based on local and seasonal ingredients, there is another style of fine dining that also present this concept as haute cuisine: kaiseki Japanese dining. Kaiseki presents ingredients at the peak of their freshness - simply, but beautifully presented. All the detail, but without the frills. Sounds like a contradiction? "At the heart of kaiseki dining is the Japanese principle of shun or taking ingredients at the peak of their freshness. Dishes are presented simply, without artifice." (Read more) In this way each ingredient is displayed at the height of its natural beauty ensuring that its true flavour shines and that the perfect synergy between cuisine and artistic expression is created. As kaiseki follows a tradition of a set chef's menu highlighting the seasonal theme, presented in an elegant environment with subtle lighting and a calm atmosphere, the format is as formal as fine dining has ever been.

According to Chef Heiko Antoniewicz, known for his molecular gastronomy, haute cuisine's modern interpretation is all about simple luxury. He regards quality ingredients, minimalism and elegance, seasonality and creativity as well as the celebration of tradition to be at the heart of such a fine-dining experience. "By using quality ingredients, embracing minimalism, seeking balance, and paying attention to details, we can create dishes that showcase the sheer luxury of simplicity." (Read more)

Fine-dining changes as our concept of luxury evolves. But what is luxury today? The global luxury market is expected to reach $368.9 billion in 2024, says this article by Frank DePino as he attempts to unveils the essence of modern elegance. Is luxury still all that is high-end, expensive, sophisticated, exclusive and rare? According to DePino words like accessibility and approachability have made it into the luxury vocabulary. Luxury today seems to be about value and rather than excess and indulgence, the focus is on social consciousness and quiet luxury. Experience is emphasised and since Covid, local luxuries are not less important than foreign ones while it also extends to the metaverse or digital space.

There will always be room for beautiful and special experiences - especially in food. Perhaps with a modern day interpretation of luxury, the focus might be less on the fact that they are exclusive and expensive, but the reality is that a lot of effort and expertise are required to create a unique dining experience regardless of the style or artistic expression of the menu, the uniqueness or ambience of the restaurant's location or whether the preference is for traditional formality or a more relaxed style of hospitality.

If you love food and treasure it for the memories and stories it tells, I believe fine dining does something for the heart and soul and it is worth the time and effort it often takes to get a reservation or to put a little something aside each month to afford that special experience. If you can, there is a world of fine dining capitals to visit. No longer limited to Paris, London and San Sebastian, cities like Tel Aviv makes FoodandWine's list of the world's best fine-dining cities. So does Lisbon and San Miguel de Allende! (Get the list here) But you don't need a passport. South Africans have a host of wonderful options to choose from locally, especially if you live in Cape Town or the Cape Winelands - from Fyn's kaiseki inspiration to culinary nostalgia on a plate at Salsify and JAN Franschhoek and of course the celebrated culinary artistry of La Colombe, to name but a few.

Don't know where to start? Click here for the Inside Guide's Top 20 restaurants in 2024. Whether you enjoy tradition or thrill, simplicity or splendour, I guarantee you'll find something you love.

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