Our omakase experience is specially designed for immersion in Japanese cuisine. The literal translation of omakase is, ‘I leave it up to you’. Basically, this means that the diner is entrusting the chef and allowing them to choose and serve the dishes they want. Instead of ordering a la carte, omakase gives your chef the power to present a series of both modern and traditional Japanese plates and flex their artistic creativity. This style of dining is similar to a dégustation and will begin with the lightest dishes and end with the heaviest dishes. It is a truly remarkable and unique dining experience that can never be replicated as it is based on the chef’s unique interpretation of your tastes and what you would like to eat. 

According to the Michelin Guide, ‘few formal dining experiences are as revered or as intimidating’ as omakase. Why? Because when you order omakase you expect your chef to be innovative and impressive. The idea is for the meal to be an artistic performance that showcases their favourite Japanese foods while also complementing your own tastes and preferences. For the diner, omakase is an opportunity to be surprised and swept away by the chef’s signature cooking style and delivery. 

Don’t let the 16 courses intimidate you. Each dish is designed to be quite small and the complete meal will leave you well satisfied without feeling too full or like you have overeaten. The chef will design your omakase experience to be harmonious and seamlessly blend from one dish to the next. If you like, the chef can also share stories and concepts behind each Japanese dish, enhancing your dining experience with interesting facts and the history of the food. 

When should I order omakase dining?

Omakase is just as much an experience as it is a meal in itself. So order omakase dining for events and occasions where the food is the highlight. You want people to take their time relishing each dish that has been brought out and enjoying every moment around the dinner table. An omakase meal should never be eaten while rushed or distracted – you want food to be the focus. 

Order the omakase experience when you are celebrating a special occasion and want to enjoy a formal dining experience with friends and loved ones. It’s the perfect experience for long, drawn-out events such as New Year, Christmas, anniversaries, or birthdays when you can spend hours around the dining table.

High teas are the perfect catering option for small gatherings and special occasions like bridal or baby showers, hens nights, picnics, Christenings, birthdays, and celebrations like Mother’s Day. High tea catering doesn’t distract from the event nor requires too much in terms of setting up & serving, and so it is the perfect option when you want food to be the backdrop and not the main star of the show. 

Order high tea when you want your event to have small snacks and finger foods that are substantial but not too filling. It’s the perfect catering option when your event sits between two mealtimes but you don’t want people to go hungry.

High tea first achieved widespread popularity in the 1840s. At that time, the tradition was to serve breakfast in the late morning and dinner in the late evening, with no meal in between. The aristocratic English gentlemen of the time would often hold long, extended business meetings during the middle of the day while their wives sat waiting for them at home. These lengthy meetings were sometimes quite drawn out and lasted hours on end, leaving the wives at home getting hungry. Enter high tea! 

Duchess Anna of Bedford is often credited with having the first high tea, asking her servants to bring her a tray of tea, cake, and bread and butter while she waited for her husband to return from his meeting. This became a regular habit for the Duchess, and she eventually started inviting her lady friends over to enjoy a cuppa and a small sweet snack. Slowly, this afternoon tea habit spread amongst the English aristocracy and became the event it is known as today. 

In the 1920s, high tea came to be recognisable as the event we all know and love today – complete with extravagant teacups, silverware, fine linens, and the best tea money can buy! Of course, high tea is just as much about entertaining your company as it is about sipping on delicious tea and sweet scones. 

What is high tea etiquette?

Some people equate high tea with a set of etiquette or table manners, which can be intimidating. But don’t worry! Firstly, we at CHEFIN would never impose any etiquette or table behaviour on you – you are free to enjoy your meal as you like, with the company you love. That said, if you’d like to prepare yourself with some know-how of high tea etiquette, here are the dos and don’ts: 

• You must first spread cream on your scone before jam, 
• You can only sip from your tea once you have finished chewing and swallowing the food in your mouth, 
• You must try both sweet and savoury dishes – this is a balance that should be maintained!, 
• Of course, you mustn’t talk with your mouth full, 
• It’s advised to eat with small nibbles rather than big bites, 
• When sipping from your teacup, keep your eyes focused inside the cup and not staring at whoever is seated across from you, 
• When leaving the table, drop your napkin on your chair and excuse yourself before getting up, 
• Never drink from your teacup while it has a spoon in it, 
• Don’t place your napkin on the table unless you are ready to leave.

When you go to book your cooking class, our team will ask you a few questions about what cuisine you would like to cook and the kind of experience you’re looking for. From there, we’ll match you with a private chef who will get to work on creating a menu plan for your cooking class as well as canapés for your team to enjoy during the class. You’ll have the opportunity to approve these menus before proceeding with the cooking class. 

At your cooking class event, you and your guests can meet the chef and socialise around a plate of canapés. For the actual cooking class, you can choose to separate and have each individual working on their own, or to work in teams. The chef will introduce you to the two dishes you will be cooking and begin instructing you on the technique, ingredients, and history. You will have the opportunity to ask questions at any time and to get feedback from the chef on your handiwork. 

Once the cooking class is over, you and your friends can gather around and taste each other’s dishes in a sit-down meal. The chef will remain to answer any questions, share stories, and offer more tips and tricks for kitchen wizardry. At the end of the day, you’ll go home with two new recipes up your sleeve, a belly full of amazing food, and a great mood after a wonderful day. 

Can I have a cook-off instead of a cooking class? 

Yes! A cook-off is a more competitive style of cooking class where your group can split into teams and compete against each other, Masterchef-style. For a cook-off, we’ll teach the same recipe to both groups and have them compete against the clock to see who can pull off the meal. Your chef can offer guidance, instruction, and tips along the way. At the end of the class, your chef can also take on the role of judge, taste the different creations, and offer feedback on your results. 

Cook-offs are a great option for a fun birthday, team-building exercise, or social event. With just the right amount of competition, learning, and working together, it’s a great day to be had for all involved! 

Why should I book a cooking class? 

There are so many reasons why you should book a cooking class! It’s not often that you have the opportunity to directly learn from a private chef, and this is a fun and exciting way to upskill in the kitchen. More than just the opportunity to learn new recipes or techniques, a cooking class can help you level up in all areas of cooking. Here are just some of the benefits to taking a cooking class with our private chefs: 

• Learn how to plan menus. Why rely on cookbooks when you can learn how to prepare your own recipes and design a menu that flows seamlessly from entree to dessert? A cooking class will teach you the art of menu planning so you can create harmonious menus on your own. 
• Learn cooking techniques. Professional chefs know all the best techniques to help you cook faster, better, and more efficiently. You’ll be able to pick up such useful skills as knife techniques, meal prepping, and how to best organise your kitchen. 
• Learn how to combine ingredients. Most of us are limited to the same ingredients that we use over and over again. Why? Because we haven’t been introduced or learned how to use all the other ingredients out there! A private cooking class will introduce you to new flavours and teach you how to combine any and every ingredient together for a real wow-factor in your dishes.
• Be the star student. In a private cooking class, all eyes are on you. The chef will dedicate their entire attention towards helping you develop your current skills. Unlike a public class or lesson, you won’t have to learn things you already know or feel left behind if the other students are more advanced. The lesson will be customised to you, your skills, and what you’d like to focus on or learn.

A blindfolded dinner is exactly what it sounds like: a meal consumed entirely while blindfolded. Why? Because it allows for a truly unique, meditative experience where your smell and taste senses dominate and kick in. Without the sense of sight, you will be left to experience your food with your other sensory organs and each flavour will come through with twice as much intensity. 

Why should I order a blindfolded dinner? 

Studies show that 80% of people eat with their eyes. What if you took that sense away? Imagine what eating would be like…  

How does a blindfolded dinner work?

Once you and your guests are seated at the table, you will each be handed a blindfold to wear throughout the meal. Without being able to see, your mouth will be the one to figure out the different textures in the food. Your nose will tell you what hints of ingredients and spices have been used. Spend this time discovering the dish slowly and with intrigue. You can share your thoughts and discoveries with your guests – exchange what you think has been used in the dish and what ingredients you can taste and smell. 

Once you have sampled the dish and interacted with it while blindfolded, the chef will allow you all to remove your blindfolds and see the meal before your eyes. They will then introduce the meal and explain a little about what ingredients have been used, its origins, and its story. You can then continue to finish the dish, either with or without a blindfold is up to you! When the next course comes around, the blindfold goes back on for another round of adventure… 

When should you order a blindfolded dinner?

Blindfolded dinners are our most popular food experience. They are an absolutely fantastic option for parties and social events where the aim is to connect and have some fun: it could be a birthday, graduation, a celebration, a family occasion or get-together, an anniversary, or any event that doesn’t have too big of a guest list. 

Order a blindfolded dinner experience when a normal dinner just doesn’t quite cut it. Go for this experience when you want something different but not too crazy out there, when you want to show your guests a novelty experience, or when you want to combine dinner with entertainment. 

Help, I’m scared of the dark! 

That’s OK! You’ll be relieved to know that we keep the dining room well lit throughout the entire blindfolded dinner experience. We do not turn off the lights nor do we ask anybody to walk or move around in the dark. The blindfolds we provide are light and can easily be taken off at any time. If any one of your guests chooses not to participate in the blindfolded dinner experience, then that is completely fine and OK! They can take the blindfold off to enjoy a normally lit meal at any time.