Chef on tour - a night of culinary genius

It was a night of exceptionalism. Wonderful people, wonderful cuisine, engaging live entertainment all combining for a memorable evening.

Simply put, last Saturday's Iberostar Chef on Tour was an evening of culinary genius. Michelin Star Chef Matt Lambert, executive chef at New York City's The Musket Room, delighted foodies and tickled taste buds with an outstanding eight-course meal.

Philipp Hofer, director of operations at Iberostar, and host for the evening, welcomed guests to the fourth and final, instalment of the 2017 Chef On Tour series. A perfectly chilled glass of Moet & Chandon greeted guests as they arrived for cocktails against the backdrop of a full scale replica of the front of the famous New York restaurant where the guest chef is based. The night built spectacularly with every sensory element carefully crafted for a magical evening. From the live music to the seamless, synchronised service, it would seem that every detail was attended to in crafting a night to remember.

The menu offered a wide variety of taste profiles carefully woven together for a meal that flowed smoothly from one course to the next, with perfectly paired wines that helped to reinforce the flavour profile of the various dishes. The spectrum of flavours was fully captured in the opening course of pie croquette, rillette and squash tart, which was paired with a delightful Fantinel Extra Dry Prosecco.

The rich flavours of the next dish of Oyster-Rose-Rose, surprisingly paired with a Luc Belaire Rare Rose, injected a sense of budding excitement. Chef Lambert and the Ibersostar team that he worked with certainly did a masterful job in crafting a menu of such complex, yet complimentary, flavours. But the MVP of the evening would have to go to the tuna which was simply magnificent. Lightly seared, it melted in the mouth as the rich taste engaged all the taste buds. It was a close call mind you as the beef was also simply delightful.

The live entertainment, punctuated by an surprise guest appearance by Rory Frankson, kept diners engaged and, as with the wines, complimented the evening expertly.

The Iberostar Chef on Tour series has been a resounding success, delivering on its promise of bringing a world-class dining experience to Montego Bay during 2017. The 100-plus guests in attendance on Saturday, certainly benefited from this attention to detail and unrelenting desire to improve each of the Chef experiences. One can only look forward with great anticipation to what lies ahead for 2018!