On the menu: Art deco-style gems

Point steak chez soi.[Photo provided to China Daily]

What compromises did you have to make to duplicate dishes from nearly a century ago?

We really did not make any compromises. However, we did enhance the dishes slightly as, in the old menu, the descriptions were not exciting. We added some flair to the dishes but still kept the integrity of the old menu. For example, the Pomelo Fruit Cocktail on the old menu we converted to a prawn appetizer with pomelo and organic greens.

Was there a specific dish that was a particular challenge?

None of the dishes were very difficult, but I had to do some research on the Nesselrode Pudding. I really had no idea what it was, honestly. The dessert is an almond cream pie with dried fruits and a graham-cracker crust.

What was the best part of putting this dinner together?

I really enjoyed the taste-panel process for developing the final menu for the guests at the actual dinner. It was fun to describe the dishes on the old menu and then show how we were presenting them years later. It was also fun to imagine a chef doing the same menu in 1931 as we were in 2015. The execution of the actual dinner was also fun. We do an abundance of "plated dinners" so we're experts, but this one took extra focus.