Dinner and a Show

A full array of tableside service dishes

In the middle of the 20th century, Madison Avenue executives would sip cocktails while dining on duck à l'orange, prime rib, or fillet of sole, ending their meal with a baked Alaska or a cherries jubilee. Many of the dishes were prepared or finished at the table by a chef or server to showcase their skill and talent. A ballet of servers danced through the dining room in whisper-quiet syncopation as they finished a dish tableside — occasionally broken by the staccato gasps of diners as the glow of a flaming bananas foster filled their corner.

While the popularity of tableside service began to wane in the ‘60s and ‘70s, this trend has experienced a renaissance in recent years. Today, it is much more dans le style for fine dining restaurants to prepare at least one dish tableside, and Nashvillians can enjoy these experiences right here at home. Bon appétit!

BY JANET KURTZ AND KARIN MATHIS PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGELINA CASTILLO