The art of pairing a beautifully created dish with the right wine is a skill that chefs and sommeliers have worked on mastering for hundreds of years. Great beverage pairing is one thing that I love, and the goal is to discover that perfect moment when both food and wine come together so that they are even better than before. I call this the ‘1+1 =3’ phenomenon, a concept where combining food and wine creates a taste experience that is more than just the sum of its parts. It’s like when you mix two colors and get a completely new shade, or when you blend two musical notes and create a harmonious chord. This is the kind of magic we aim to create at our Italian Wine Dinner event.
This month, I am teaming up with Vincenzo of Impero Wines to bring you an exclusive Italian Wine Dinner hosted at The Chef’s Table — Cucina e Vino on August 30th. This event, open to a select few, is not just an ordinary dinner. It’s an Italian wine tour through some of the best regions in Italy, and Vincenzo’s chosen wines will perfectly match each course. I have designed an entirely new menu inspired by traditional Italian fundamentals with a modern flair. The evening will be filled with delightful surprises and a journey into the world of food and wine pairing, offering valuable insights and knowledge. Here are some top rules of thumb regarding pairing food and wine. However, as any art form has it, even these rules can be bent and sometimes broken to create something incredible.
Corresponding Weight and Emphasis: A light, delicate dish such as seafood crudo would pair wonderfully with an Italian Arneis white wine. This wine is delicate and balanced, and its bright acidity and subtle minerality complement the natural sweetness of the scallop.
Complement or Contrast Flavors: Matching the wine and food by flavor profile means selecting wines with similar or complementary flavors to the dish served. Pair Items that have wine-friendly recipes. The Barbera Broccardo we’ve chosen to accompany our sweetbread ton-nato course, for instance, brings juicy red fruit character that plays off the savory and earthy components on the plate. Conversely, contrasting flavors—such as enjoying a tannic Barolo with a juicy dry-aged strip steak — can balance out and even complement each other (those same wine tannins help strip the meat fat from your palate!).
Sauce is Boss: In many cases, particularly with protein such as chicken or pork, the sauce on a dish often determines whether you want to go big red. Our third steak course gets picked up in a more resonant flavor profile, which means the flavors in the dish and the wine echo and enhance each other. In this case, the rich, meaty flavors of the steak are complemented by the robust, earthy notes of the Barolo reduction, creating a harmonious and satisfying pairing.
Some wines need to have an equal (or stronger) level of sweetness than the dish so that it does not taste sour in comparison. Then, there is a Bennett Orchard peach and elderflower panna cotta with the Moscato Primo Bacio, a sweet wine from Asti. The essence of the wine and its delicate peach and apricot bouquet add a refreshing finish that is harmonious with this light dessert.
Some of the best combinations are wonderful because they ignore the standard pairing rules. Executed thoughtfully, you can produce a wonderful surprise and an exciting contrast on the palate. Wine pairing is all about finding what you like and what works for your palate — as much as it follows specific rules (which, once mastered, free you up even more).
At this dinner, we are stoked about the menu, pairings and their capabilities because these simple principles become a journey into the vast unknown. An Italian journey inspires the menu. Each course is a solid supporting argument for pairing, from scallop crudo to opulence.
If you want to taste the magic, I invite you to come and check us out at The Chef’s Table. For more information, visit thechefstablede.com. Whether you’re a seasoned wine pro or just looking to enjoy a night of fine dining, prepare to indulge in an evening of culinary excellence and delightful wine pairings. After all, there’s something extraordinary about a dish and a wine that is so perfectly paired that the experience lingers long after the last bite or sip. It’s the kind of magic that we, as chefs, strive to create every day.
Chef Hari Cameron is a renowned culinary expert, consultant and restaurateur. He has received critical acclaim for his modern farm-to-table approach to cooking and has been recognized for his numerous contributions to the hospitality industry. With a passion for using the highest quality Mid-Atlantic ingredients, Chef Cameron has become a leading voice in today’s culinary landscape.
