What degustation means
Degustation comes from the French dégustation, meaning tasting, and in restaurants it refers to a menu of many small courses chosen by the chef to give diners a taste of a wide range of dishes. It is also called a tasting menu or menu dégustation. Rather than ordering a starter, main and dessert, diners are served a series of small plates, each just a few mouthfuls, which may move from light to rich, from savoury to sweet, and may include amuse-bouches, palate cleansers and petits fours.
The aim is to showcase the chef’s skill, style and seasonal ingredients, and to let diners experience a variety of flavours, textures and techniques in a sitting. Degustation menus are typical of fine dining restaurants and often come with an optional wine pairing, in which a different wine or drink is matched to each course. They usually take longer than a standard meal and are often served to the whole table, with any dietary needs arranged in advance.
The word degustation is used particularly in Australia and New Zealand, while tasting menu is the more common term in Britain and the US. In French, dégustation is also used for wine, cheese and other tastings in general. You will see degustation on fine dining menus and restaurant guides.