Watching MasterChef Australia recently, I realized that one of the challenges in every season was a degustation challenge (although when George Calombaris said it with his Australian accent, I thought he was saying a degga station challenge). Curtis Stone, one of the guest judges on MasterChef Australia, told the contestants that one of his restaurants only serves this type of menu. It made me wonder, what is a degustation? Now that I have discovered the answer, I thought other people might also wonder what the term means, so I am adding a short post to The Fruity Tart.
What is a Degustation?
A degustation is a multi-course menu. It is also known as a tasting menu or a set menu. According to Trip Savvy, it is a French culinary term that describes eating an array of small dishes, evoking the senses, and appreciating the ingredients
Some restaurants only offer a set tasting menu, with no option to order a la carte. These are usually fine dining restaurants where the chef creates a menu of small dishes. They often use fresh, local, and seasonal produce.
The aim of a degustation is to offer the diner different flavour combinations at each course, and it is a complete dining experience rather than just eating a meal. Chefs aim to highlight the beauty of the ingredients in each course. A tasting menu will typically include vegetarian, seafood, and meat dishes, then end with a dessert. A seven-course menu may also include a pre-dessert.
Are There Different Types?
The main difference in the types of degustation relates to the number of courses in a multi-course menu. Typically, there is either a five-course or a seven-course degustation, with some restaurants offering both options.
Another difference in the types of degustation is those that offer a specific type of cuisine. For example, an Indian restaurant may offer a tasting menu of dishes to highlight the different flavours of that cuisines. Similarly, a vegetarian or vegan restaurant will have a tasting menu that has no meat or seafood courses.
Is a Degustation Different to a Tasting Menu?
There is no difference between a degustation and a tasting menu. They are merely different terms that people use to describe the same dining experience. Location plays a big part in which of these terms people use. It is called a degustation in France and Australia. However, countries including the UK and the United States will typically call a multi-course meal a tasting menu.
The Final Verdict: What Is a Degustation?
The answer to ‘what is a degustation?’ is far simpler than I thought. It is simply another term for a multi-course menu or a tasting menu that highlights different ingredients in each course. In different parts of the world, people use different terms to describe this dining experience.