Cuisine has long not only stopped at the need for food but has become a symbol of lifestyle and class.
According to iGastroNomic, there are currently dishes in the world priced at tens of thousands of USD, where every detail from ingredients, processing methods to presentation is pushed to a luxury level, aiming for a unique experience for a few diners.
One of the symbols of luxury in cuisine is Almas caviar, harvested from rare Beluga sturgeon.
This type of caviar is famous for its delicate flavor and rarity, usually packaged in gold-plated boxes, with prices that can reach 25,000 USD per kg (about more than 650 million VND).
Along with the above amount, diners can enjoy Frrrozen Haute Chocolate at Serendipity 3. The glass of ice cream is made from dozens of rare cocoa varieties, covered in edible gold and comes with a gold spoon studded with diamonds.
Not only stopping at desserts, many familiar dishes are also "upgraded" to luxury versions.
At Industry Kitchen, white truffle mushroom pizza combined with 24-carat gold leaf is priced at about 12,000 USD (about 315 million VND), while Louis XIII pizza by chef Renato Viola in Italy impresses with a processing process lasting up to 72 hours along with rare ingredients such as caviar and lobster. These dishes are not only expensive because of the ingredients but also because of the effort and processing techniques that require high skills.
In addition, the presentation element and cultural story also contribute to enhancing the value of the dish.
Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence in Sri Lanka is designed as an artwork, recreating the image of traditional fishermen, combined with premium seafood and rare wines, priced at about 14,500 USD (about more than 380 million VND).
Meanwhile, Golden Opulence Sundae ice cream, also at Serendipity 3, is priced at about 1,000 USD (more than 26 million VND), impressing with its yellow leaf coating on the outside and elaborate presentation.
One of the factors causing the price of dishes to increase is the high personalization experience such as omakase at Sushi Zanmai in Japan, where diners can spend up to 3,000 USD (nearly 79 million VND) to enjoy fresh, rare seafood during the day according to the chef's choice.
Or like the FleurBurger 5000 by chef Hubert Keller in Las Vegas, a burger worth 5,000 USD (about more than 131 million VND) served with premium wine, showing the combination of popular cuisine and luxury style.
According to iGastroNomic, the high price of these dishes comes from many factors such as rare ingredients, elaborate processing processes, elaborate presentation and brand value of the restaurant or chef.
In particular, the use of edible gold in many dishes is not only symbolic but also contributes to creating visual attraction, turning the dish into a performance experience.
Despite causing much controversy about the level of luxury, it is undeniable that the most expensive dishes in the world have contributed to expanding the limits of culinary art.
In the context of the service industry increasingly focusing on personalized experiences, these "gold-plated" dishes reflect the consumption trend of a segment of customers willing to pay to exchange for difference, exclusivity and memorability.
