19 Instagram-worthy dishes that taste as amazing as they look
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
What happens when you invite seven world-class chefs from six countries to show off their skills for a week at Bangkok's Four Seasons Hotel?
Food that looks almost too good to eat, as these 19 snaps taken during the ongoing World Gourmet Festival (WGF) show. Now in its 15th year, the annual foodie event continues until Sunday September 6.
This year's participating chefs are: chef Akrame Benallal of Akrame, Paris; chef Paolo Casagrande of Lasarte, Barcelona; chef Thierry Dufroux of Bistrot Belhara in Paris; chef João Rodrigues of Feitoria Restaurant in Lisbon, Portugal; chef Hideaki Sato of Tenku RyuGin, Hong Kong; chef James Syhabout of Commis in Oakland, California; and chef James Viles of Biota Dining in Bowral, New South Wales, Australia.
So what's the story behind this pretty dish? It's a plate of black cod, "batata brava" and cod cheek emulsion, created by chef Joao Rodrigues during his Wednesday night WGF dinner.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Copita, olives and Azeitao cheese, by chef Rodrigues.
Executive chef at the Michelin-starred Feitoria restaurant, chef Rodrigues' dishes are based on the roots and traditions of Portuguese cuisine but offer a hint of exotic flavors from other parts of the world.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Oyster in dashi, green lemon and ginger, by chef James Syhabout.
"This dish is inspired by the flavor of oysters when they've been pulled straight from the sea," says Syhabout, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Commis restaurant in Oakland, California. "The oyster is placed on river stones and seaweed to reflect the oyster beds, and has an oceanic kelp broth and a classic oyster mignonette of shredded cucumber marinated in ginger and green lemon."
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Tiger prawn with cucumber and mango by chef Rodrigues.
"Our roots and traditions are always present in all the dishes that we create," says the Portuguese executive chef at the Michelin-starred Feitoria restaurant.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Poultry in hay, brown butter mayonnaise and potato by chef Akrame Benallal.
Benallal's Akrame restaurant, opened in Paris in 2011, has two Michelin stars.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Slow-cooked egg over bamboo charcoal with smoked eel by chef Benallal, owner of Paris restaurant Akrame.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Unripe green tomato with dill, cured king salmon and beach mustard by chef Syhabout.
"A snapshot of spring in California!" says Commis owner Syhabout, who was born in Thailand but moved to Oakland, California at the age of two. "Local salmon, unripe green tomatoes and herbs both foraged and from the far, this dish is a true taste of spring."
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Red beetroot with blueberry vinegar, smoked cheese, thyme and ash, by chef Syhabout.
"This is based on an iconic Californian dish -- goat's cheese and beets," says Syhabout. "Our twist on the dish from Commis (restaurant) features roasted beets, peeled so they're semi-dry almost like raisins and high in concentrated sugar, with blueberry vinegar and mascarpone that we've smoked over applewood, dusted with vegetable ash made from the tops of the beets. Topped off with fresh blueberries and native bitter yarrow flowers for an Alpine-y flavour of Northern California."
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Portuguese egg pie, cinnamon ice cream, bergamot and puff pastry, by chef Rodrigues, executive chef at the Michelin-starred Feitoria restaurant.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Milk lamb with carrot, orange and ceps, by chef Rodrigues.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Baramundi lobster and white asparagus, by chef Rodrigues.
"In our kitchen the most important ingredient is the quality of the product," says the Feitoria executive chef.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Roasted squab breast with confit garlic in cocotte, French-style garden green peas and duck liver confit in ravioli, by chef Thierry Dufroux.
Named after the legendary Belhara -- a site famous for its waves on the Basque coast at Saint-Jean-de-Luz -- Bistrot Belhara bows to Thierry's Basque origins and serves a regularly changing menu of contemporary French bistro dishes.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Carnaroli risotto, summer truffles with girolles and black truffle, by chef Dufroux, owner of Bistrot Belhara.
"I love simple cooking based on quality products, perfect cooking time and good seasoning," he says. "The nature of the product, its color, taste and texture should be enhanced, and I see my role as a magnifier."
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Sliced line-caught sea bass, lemon, piment d'Espelette and shaved bottarga, by chef Dufroux.
Dufroux has worked with some of the most recognized chefs and restaurants in the French Basque country such as Chabichou in Courchevel, Hotel du Palais of Biarritz, Michel Guérard, Bernard Loiseau and Hotel les Pyrénnées -- Arrambide Family.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Autumn vegetables, Brittany lobster and ham "maskarada" served in a cool bouillon, by chef Dufroux, owner of Bistrot Belhara.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Tomato meli melo, tomato water, lobster and watermelon by chef Benallal.
"My cooking is very personal, it has its own identity, it's instinct-driven and with a lot of feelings," says Benallal, owner of Paris restaurant Akrame, which has two Michelin stars.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Chocolate tart, soft mascarpone cream and coffee, by chef Dufroux, owner of Bistrot Belhara.
Four Seasons
20 Instagram-worthy dishes that taste as amazing as they look —
The dish: Berries, fromage blanc, lemongrass and ginger ice cream and a salad of fresh garden herbs by chef Benallal.
Four Seasons
15 Instagram-worthy dishes that are almost too pretty to eat —
The dish: Roasted sardine with Colonnata lard and tomato, by Rodrigues, executive chef at the Michelin-starred Feitoria restaurant.
Think your own festival food snaps are just as Instagram-worthy?
