A wine & dine demonstration

It’s billed as an intimate experience that allows you to cook, eat, drink, learn and have fun – and it’s the latest Atlantis activation – a wine and dine demonstration by master chefs of the restaurant FISH by José Andrés.

The experience allows you to enjoy bites and beverages while you learn how to prepare FISH by José Andrés’ signature dishes – tuna tartar, grilled grouper and chocolate paradise.

The two-hour session, which takes you on a journey through the restaurant, starts at the bar where you’re offered an amuse bouche, which is enjoyed at the largesse of the chef, and can change from day-to-day.

On my visit, it was an oyster on the half shell with your choice of either cocktail sauce, zinfandel vinegar, hot sauce and lemon. I love oysters and a good champagne mignonette, so I made the most of my single oyster onto which I placed a little of the zinfandel vinegar and downed. It was served with a glass of Cava (segura viudas, Brut from Spain).

FISH by José Andrés’ executive chef de cuisine Stephan Holland also introduced himself to the group before allowing us to indulge in our oyster and bubbly.

The group participating in the experience was then shuttled over to the restaurant’s raw bar, where I was tempted by the many live oysters in the aquarium, but we were there to learn how to make the restaurant’s tuna tartare (egg yolk, mustard sauce, anchovies, Parker House rolls, and plantain chips). Chef Holland began by showing how to cut the tuna, before inviting a volunteer to come up. I eagerly agreed and was able to cut two slices, before I had to leave tuna for another participant to get the experience of slicing tuna. He then showed how to plate the tuna tartare, FISH by José Andrés style, which other participants got to do with Holland looking on and correcting any mistakes before it was served with the restaurant’s famous Parker House rolls and plantain chips.

The tuna tartare was enjoyed with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc (Joseph Mellot, Sincerite, Loire Valley, 2017).

Then it was off to the grill where Holland demonstrated the preparation for their grilled grouper with black garlic mojo, pineapple and chayote. Here, a participant got to learn the technique to swirling the black garlic mojo on the plate, before we were escorted to tables and the prepared dish presented by the wait, served with a Salt Air Margarita (Casa Noble Crystal Tequila, Combier Orange liqueur, and lime).

After plates were cleaned, Chef Holland then reappeared to show how the restaurant’s chocolate paradise dessert (spiced chocolate cream, cocoa, streusel, passionfruit caramel and meringue ice cream) is plated. The chocolate paradise was served with Port Wine (Graham’s 20 Year Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal).

Participants also receive two recipes to take home with them to recreate the experience – the tuna tartare, and black grouper.

Holland described the event as “truly special”.

“Atlantis has given the opportunity for us [chefs] to do it and it really creates an intimate environment and lets us get to know what the guest likes, what they’re expecting, and to be a little more personal,” said Holland.

“It’s to allow people to come in and meet the chef, and also learn a few things. Our intentions are to bring people in, to show them a great experience, give them good food, and also teach them at the same time.”

The intimate experience can accommodate a maximum of 10 people per session.