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This monthly State of Luxury & Lifestyle is a reflection of Luxury Portfolio Magazine and Forbes Global Properties’ high-end publication, immersing readers in the world of luxury and lifestyle with a particular focus on real estate, design, travel, and lifestyle.
Each article, using excerpts from Luxury Portfolio & Forbes Global Properties ‘Storied’, is a deep-dive into topics that captivate luxury audiences and collectors. In addition, this stunning editorial showcases Slifer Smith & Frampton’s Front Range luxury listings each month.
Weather celebrating with a ship full of guests or family and friends at home or tasting old staples of ancient worth, this edition of our State of Luxury catalog takes you on a journey through refined indulgence.
Whether celebrating with a ship full of guests or friends at home, small plates savor the season.
As autumn turns to winter in the north, the more the kitchen cleaves to old staples of ancient worth.
Tom Goetter [VP of Hotel Operations; oceans Scenic Group] – My journey in the culinary world, from the quaint vineyards of Mainz, Germany, to the luxurious kitchens aboard Scenic and Emerald yachts, has always revolved around enhancing the dining experience with creativity and precision. The essence of fall, with its crisp air, vibrant foliage and festive gatherings. sets a perfect stage for culinary artistry – especially when it comes to hors d’oeuvres, the small bites that tantalize the palate and start the conversation. The beauty of hors d’oeuvres lies in their ability to convey complexity through simplicity. Each bite is a balance of flavor, texture and aesthetic.
On Scenic ultra-luxury voyages, we approach each dish as a piece of a larger narrative, where every flavor is a chapter of its own. This philosophy is perfectly suited for a cocktail party, where each amuse bouche can reflect the season’s abundance and warmth. As we embrace a time of gatherings, let me guide you through the art of creating an exquisite menu of small plates that encapsulate the spirit of fall and holiday celebrations. When designing a menu for festive occasions, I draw on the principles of organization and creativity. The key is to create dishes that appear intricate yet can be prepared in advance, allowing for a seamless flow during a party.
My approach focuses on using seasonal ingredients to elevate simple components. Think of the rich flavors of butternut squash, earthy mushrooms, or crisp apples, transformed into elegant, easy-to-enjoy bites.
For instance, the pumpkin mousse recipe highlights seasonal pumpkin, balanced with spices and a light texture, making it perfect for vol-au-vents or tartlets. Similarly, the carrot kappa glaze (see QR code) turns simple carrots into a glossy, striking component for a canapé platter. These dishes demonstrate how skillful preparation can elevate basic elements into a memorable culinary experience.
Seasonal colors also enhance hors d’oeuvres. In fall, nature’s rich palette—deep reds of beetroot, vibrant oranges of pumpkin, and subtle browns of whole grains—can inspire delicious, visually appealing presentations, delighting your guests.
![Tom Goetter [VP of Hotel Operations; oceans Scenic Group]](https://www.sliferfrontrange.com/app/uploads/2024/11/SE_Tom-Goetter-Scenic-Eclipse-II-2.jpg)
On Scenic, my team of 38 diverse chefs from more than 12 countries works like a well- oiled machine, each knowing their role and contributing to a flawless culinary experience. Translating the efficiency of a cruise-ship kitchen to a home setting involves meticulous planning and smart execution.
You can emulate this at home by preparing several components of your dishes ahead of time, leaving only minimal assembly or last-minute cooking for the day of the event. For instance, elements like pumpkin compote (see QR code) can be made in advance, stored and used as a flavorful base or topping for fresh bruschetta or cheese pairings.
This reduces stress and enhances the enjoyment of hosting. Plus, you can involve friends and family in the final stages of assembly-creating new memories of teamwork in the kitchen.
"It's about creating an experience that lingers in memory long after the last guest has departed."
Gathering for festive holiday parties at home should be an enjoyable and creative process that celebrates the season’s bounty. It’s about creating an experience that lingers in memory long after the last guest has departed.
By planning, focusing on seasonal ingredients and applying the techniques refined in professional kitchens, you can deliver an unforgettable culinary experience that captivates your guests and satisfies their palates. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or an enthusiastic home cook, I encourage you to explore these concepts and embrace the joy of cooking.
Remember that the heart of hospitality is about sharing joy through the food we make and the moments we create together.
Read the full Haute Hors D’Oeuvres article on LuxuryPortfolio.com
As autumn turns to winter in the north, the more the kitchen cleaves to old staples of ancient worth. In restaurants too, it’s not the fanciful but the elemental that beckons. Here, Storied’s regular column dares to mix two touchpoints for the season – oil and fire.
Corfu, one of Greece’s lushest green and golden isles, is steeped in ancient myth, where Odysseus once washed ashore. Tall cypresses rise like sentinels above cliffs dense with ancient trees, while groves of silvery olives spread gnarled branches heavy with fruit. Standing in such a place, with the sun beating down, it’s clear that simply muttering “get some olive oil” at home misses the depth of its origins.
Mediterranean islands have long endured ownership wars. For Corfu, Venetian rule (1386–1797) brought 400 years of peace, during which olive trees thrived. Venetian incentives to plant groves made Corfu a regional olive oil hub and kept Venice’s lamps burning bright.
Today, 400 million silver-green olive trees (mainly *Koroneiki* and *Lianolia*) thrive across the island’s 230 square miles, producing 15,000 tonnes of oil annually. Olive oil’s *health benefits* were celebrated long before *wellness* became a trend, consistently topping lists of nutritional value. Yet, its culinary fame only spread globally when the Mediterranean Diet gained traction in the late 1990s, making olive oil a staple in Western kitchens. But Greek, Italian, or Spanish?
Spain (30%), Italy (24%), and Greece (18%) produce nearly three-quarters of the world’s olive oil. Choosing one is like picking a dance—the *paso doble*, *tarantella*, or *syrtaki*. Each carries cultural stories that can enrich your kitchen, offering a taste of nature’s bounty and human heritage.
In Corfu an exclusively hand-picked harvest, usually in October, renders a golden-green extra-virgin elixir with individual flavor profiles spilling from the type of olive and the maker’s method. As if you didn’t know, extra-virgin is best reserved for dressing dishes. From November to April, nature knocks the remaining olives into black nets on the ground to become oil for general above-standard cooking.
Which means that something most associated with summer – bright fresh salads set out on sun-baked terraces drizzled with olive oil – is actually one of the treats of winter. As autumn descends, bottles labeled New Season arrive in store. The oil pours viscous, peppery, green, vibrant… It’s November, but somehow you’re back in Corfu, and the sun is beating like bronze on your neck.
It’s all about men and what they do best: meat and fire. From the ancient pits of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, it’s been decreed that men alone must place the sacrifice into the flames and turn the franks at the BBQ. Women may handle salads, but they are not ordained into the fiery ritual, leaving the iron rules intact.
When Argentinian chef Francis Mallmann appeared on *Chef’s Table* in 2015, cooking animal carcasses over a bonfire, men worldwide trembled. Their hands melted like putty, knowing Mallmann (father of seven, owner of nine restaurants) was the alpha, the caveman they could never be—but maybe should.
Meat may signal men, but it’s fire that captivates. Anyone can put meat in an oven, but Mallmann stirs a primal memory of the elemental. In a world so removed from the visceral, especially for those in privileged comfort, the fingerprint of fire still shapes our sense of self. There’s nothing more elemental, more human, than cooking over an open flame.
Mallmann pioneered a movement now embraced by firebrand chefs who treat kitchen gadgets like the Big Green Egg as toys. Stoves and ovens are out; sous vide? Not even a question.
Young chefs are torching tomahawks over massive trays of charcoal, fuming with oil-soaked herbs, salt, and pepper, while nearby, coal-black spits and cranking rotisseries erupt in flames, inviting us into the primal pleasures of the cave. It’s theater—and it’s what we’re paying for.
Beyond nutrition, experiential restaurants like Mallmann’s offer a sense of where we’ve come from and what we’ve lost from our origin story. As autumn turns to winter, our questions may turn inward, deepening in the metaphorical cave—and perhaps that’s the purpose of our quiet contemplations by the fireside at home.
Read the full Global Bites article on ForbesGlobalProperties.com
Explore the full State of Luxury & Lifestyle magazine, where we celebrate the opulent lifestyle that comes with these exceptional listings. From gourmet dining and premier entertainment to indulgent spa experiences and world-class shopping, discover the pinnacle of luxury living.
Read our Novemer issue now at SliferFrontRange.com.
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