Why do big restaurants serve small portions?

Why do luxury restaurants around the world often serve expensive but often disproportionate dishes? Here are some of the reasons behind this.

Invest in experience: Expensive restaurants emphasize the dining experience of their diners. At the same time, visitors to these locations are looking for unique flavors and experiences rather than filling their stomachs. With small servings, they will be able to taste a variety of foods and be able to feel and distinguish the fresh and delicate flavors of each dish. Tasting menu: Most restaurants serve a three-course meal: starter, main course and dessert. While with fine dining, the number of dishes for a meal can be up to 12, even 20, including finger food, appetizer, soup, salad, fish, first main course, palate wash , second main course, dessert… If all of these are served according to the regular portion, diners will quickly fill up before tasting all of the dishes. That’s why restaurants reduce the amount of food served. Small amounts raise expectations: In fine dining, small servings keep diners excited to taste and enjoy the richness of the meal. Seeing a plate of food with a small portion makes people curious as to what is special about it, and after eating it, they will expect more about the next dish. Expectation is what is fun and makes the dining experience even more memorable. Each dish has expensive ingredients: Dishes with carefully selected ingredients, delicate, popular in high-class restaurants. For example, half a kilogram of Wagyu beef can cost $200 and caviar costs about $10,000 a kilo. A dish that includes both these foods and adds Italian truffles (about 7,500 USD/kg) will definitely cost a lot. In addition, luxury restaurants often import ingredients. This increases costs and affects menu prices. To keep prices from getting too high, they serve smaller servings. Smaller servings look more elegant: With time, the minimalist trend also entered the culinary world and high-end restaurants have begun to consider “small is elegant”. With small servings, the chef will easily create decorations and customers will feel the elegance from sight to taste. Each dish is a work of art by the chef: For expensive restaurants, cooking techniques have evolved into a blend of aesthetics, art and design. Like a work of art, the smaller portions allow the chef enough space on the plate to show off their artwork. French dish Gargouillou consists of at least 16 vegetables cooked individually, then arranged on a plate like a work of art that can impress any diner. Diners do not get bored with the dish: The first bites make diners feel the food tastes the best. Human taste buds will get used to a taste after 4-5 chews and will become less sensitive. Small servings will avoid boredom and help your mind remember the flavors for a longer time. Therefore, the chefs focus on the quality of the dish rather than the volume.