A recent dinner at Iron Gate in the heart of Silicon Valley was a perfect reminder that dining can be as much about experience as it is about flavor. The evening featured classic tableside preparations—Caesar salad tossed to order, Steak Diane flambéed with precision, and a dramatic Cherries Jubilee to finish. Each dish was not only delicious, but also a performance, engaging guests in the craft and technique behind the cuisine. It was interactive, elegant, and genuinely fun—an experience that lingered well beyond the last bite.
It immediately made me think of our work in du Jour, where students practice many of these same tableside techniques. While this style of service may have felt like a thing of the past, it’s clearly making a comeback in modern fine dining, and for good reason. Tableside service creates connection, builds confidence, and elevates hospitality into something memorable. It’s exciting to see our students learning skills that are once again in demand, and even more exciting to know they’ll be ready to deliver these experiences in their own careers. ~ Chef Erin Coopey
