I chose a classic French sauce over a modern foam and I'm glad I did

Last month, I was planning the main course for a big wedding reception in Seattle. The client wanted something impressive with the halibut. My sous chef was pushing hard for a trendy lemon verbena foam, saying it was 'the future' and would look amazing on social media. I had to make a call. I went with a classic, labor-intensive beurre blanc instead, made with a good local white wine and shallots. It took me three tries to get the emulsion perfect, but the result was a rich, velvety sauce that actually tasted of something. The foam would have been a light, airy garnish that vanished on the tongue. The beurre blanc complemented the fish, and the guests cleaned their plates. Sometimes the old ways are just better. Has anyone else stuck with a classic technique when the kitchen was pushing for something flashy and new?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.susan16d ago

So the foam was for social media, but who was the dish actually for, the guests or the camera? How do you handle a sous chef who's clearly more into trends than taste?

eva_thompson16d ago

It's the same thing with those over-filtered vacation photos (you know, the ones where the sky looks neon). The experience gets lost for the show. I'd pull that sous chef aside and have them taste the dish without the foam first, then ask if it actually makes it better.

josepha3215d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you said "pull that sous chef aside"? They're letting a sous chef decide to put foam on everything? That's the real problem right there. The head chef should be the one tasting every plate before it leaves the kitchen. If a sous is just adding trendy junk for looks, the person in charge isn't doing their job. The food should come first, not some Instagram trend.