3 Michelin StarsLuxury Ingredient
Caviar
Caviar—the salt-cured roe of sturgeon—represents the apex of culinary luxury. True caviar comes from wild sturgeon in the Caspian Sea, though sustainable farm-raised varieties from France, California, and China now rival their wild ancestors in quality. The most prized varieties—Beluga, Osetra, and Sevruga—can cost $200-400 per ounce. Each pearl of caviar should burst with a delicate pop, releasing a complex flavor: briny yet buttery, with subtle hints of the sea and a clean, almost nutty finish. The best caviars are served simply—on mother-of-pearl spoons (metal can alter the taste) with minimal accompaniment, perhaps a dollop of crème fraîche or a traditional blini. At restaurants like Per Se and Le Bernardin, chefs elevate caviar beyond garnish, building entire dishes around its umami richness. These preparations showcase caviar's versatility: equally at home atop oysters, folded into pasta, or crowning a perfectly seared piece of toro.
Origin: Caspian Sea
Season: Year-round
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Featured Experiences
Where to Experience Caviar
These restaurants feature exceptional preparations of Caviar, curated by our concierge team for discerning diners.
3 Michelin Stars
3 Michelin Stars
1 Michelin StarThe Story of Caviar
Caviar—the salt-cured roe of sturgeon—represents the apex of culinary luxury. True caviar comes from wild sturgeon in the Caspian Sea, though sustainable farm-raised varieties from France, California, and China now rival their wild ancestors in quality. The most prized varieties—Beluga, Osetra, and Sevruga—can cost $200-400 per ounce. Each pearl of caviar should burst with a delicate pop, releasing a complex flavor: briny yet buttery, with subtle hints of the sea and a clean, almost nutty finish. The best caviars are served simply—on mother-of-pearl spoons (metal can alter the taste) with minimal accompaniment, perhaps a dollop of crème fraîche or a traditional blini. At restaurants like Per Se and Le Bernardin, chefs elevate caviar beyond garnish, building entire dishes around its umami richness. These preparations showcase caviar's versatility: equally at home atop oysters, folded into pasta, or crowning a perfectly seared piece of toro.
Origin
Caspian Sea
Peak Season
Year-round
Chef Perspectives on Caviar
Hear from the chefs who have mastered this ingredient at their restaurants.
"A sabayon of pearl tapioca topped with Island Creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar—Per Se’s most iconic dish."
Le Bernardin
Per Se →"A quenelle of vegan tonburi (land caviar) topped with horseradish cream on a crispy cracker."
Le Bernardin
Eleven Madison Park →"An inventive sweet version of the famous caviar dish, layering different textures and flavours to resemble roe."
Le Bernardin
Guy Savoy →Seasonal Availability
Caviar is at its peak during Year-round.
Plan your dining experience during these months to enjoy this ingredient at its finest. Many of our partner restaurants offer special seasonal tasting menus featuring Caviar.
Restaurants Serving Seasonal Caviar
- Per Se
- Eleven Madison Park
- Guy Savoy
- Alo
Explore More Ingredients
Discover other luxury ingredients featured at the world's finest restaurants.
Oysters
Oysters occupy a unique position in luxury dining: simultaneously affordable enough for casual enjoyment and refined enough for Michelin-starred presentations. The oyster world is vast, with hundreds of varieties shaped by their merroir—the ocean equivalent of terroir—each expressing unique flavors from their growing waters. The finest oysters come from cold Atlantic and Pacific waters: Island Creek from Massachusetts, Kumamoto from Washington State, Belon from France. Each variety offers distinct characteristics—some briny and metallic, others sweet and cucumbery, still others buttery with a mineral finish. Connoisseurs seek specific varieties for specific applications. At restaurants like Per Se and Alo, oysters transcend the raw bar. They're transformed into elegant preparations that respect the mollusk's oceanic essence while adding layers of luxury: smoked cream and finger lime, sabayon and caviar, or incorporated into sophisticated sauces. These preparations prove that oysters, properly understood, rank among the sea's most versatile treasures.
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Morel Mushroom
The morel mushroom—with its distinctive honeycomb cap and nutty, earthy flavor—announces the arrival of spring in the culinary world. Unlike cultivated mushrooms, morels grow only in the wild, appearing briefly from April through June in forests across the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, and parts of France. Foragers guard their morel spots jealously, returning year after year to the same locations where these elusive fungi fruit. This scarcity, combined with morels' concentrated, almost meaty flavor, makes them one of the most expensive mushrooms in fine dining—often $40-60 per pound when in season. Chefs prize morels for their ability to absorb sauces while maintaining their distinctive texture and flavor. Whether sautéed in butter with wild ramps, folded into cream sauces, or paired with braised meats (as at Eleven Madison Park), morels add an earthy complexity that signals serious culinary craftsmanship.
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Abalone
Abalone, a large sea snail prized in Asian cuisine, represents perhaps the ocean's most labor-intensive luxury. Wild abalone, once abundant, is now so rare that most restaurants use farm-raised specimens from Japan or Australia. Even farmed abalone takes 3-5 years to reach market size, explaining prices that can exceed $100 per pound. The appeal of abalone isn't immediately obvious to Western palates. Its flavor is subtle—mildly briny with a hint of sweetness—and its texture, when properly prepared, is tender yet slightly chewy. Poorly cooked abalone becomes rubbery and nearly inedible; properly prepared, it's a revelation of oceanic flavor and textural contrast. At n/naka in Los Angeles, Chef Niki Nakayama treats abalone with the reverence it deserves in Japanese cuisine, often combining it with equally luxurious ingredients like truffle. These preparations showcase abalone's ability to absorb flavors while contributing its own unique brininess and texture.
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