Have you ever wanted to know what goes on behind the kitchen door at a 5-star hotel restaurant? Or how much work goes into one dish? We at WOM not only try to bring you the best dining experiences but also a chance to take a look at the behind-the-scene moments of a dish.

In September we ran a competition for five members to win a cooking demonstration and a complimentary lunch at Caprice. It goes without saying that a meal at Caprice is wonderful. Lunching at the chef's table by the kitchen? Heavenly. Doing that with a group of foodies who enjoy a good meal as much as us at WOM? Oh read on.

Taking over the kitchen

The event started on a Saturday morning in October when the kitchen at Caprice was still under preparation for the lunch session. Instead of seeing chefs crowding over their stations, WOM members - Claire, Nathalie, Peter, Jason and Lambert - were greeted by pots of broths simmering away quietly on the stoves, and visiting guest chef, Philippe Jourdin, who heads Faventia at the Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche. Teamed with his sous-chef Stéphanie Le Quellec and the resident chef of Caprice, Vincent Thierry, we were shown the intricate steps of preparing Line-Caught Sea Bass Fennel Aroma with Green Asparagus Panache and Olive Oil Emulsion.

It is difficult to decide whether the sea bass or the asparagus should take centre stage. Who would have thought these young shoots could take on so many textures? The delicate stems were trimmed, sliced, sautéed, rolled, steamed - you name it. As soon as the chef finished dressing the dish, it was attacked by a mob of food paparazzi. Think Carla Bruni stepping out of a limousine. Naturally it was polished off in record time.

Let the feast begin!

By the time we sat down for lunch, the kitchen was getting busy. Sitting in the wine-cellar/cheese room behind the kitchen, we could smell the faint aroma of the cheeses, and had the privilege to see the talented chefs at work.

Our amuse bouche was a Chilled Eggplant Soup with Tomato Sorbet. What a refreshing start to our lunch! The thin strip of bread served on the side with tapenade spread injected a Provençal note to the dish.

The first dish was Warm Duck Foie Gras des Landes Lemon Macaroon, Candied Citrus Peel and Badian Anise. Although it is usual practice to pair foie gras with something citrusy, lemon is almost too extreme a choice. However, the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the duck liver is a sharp contrast to the slightly chewy one of the macaroon. As Peter said, "the genius of Chef Philippe becomes evident as I take a piece of foie gras, dip into the lemon curd, and top it with a piece of the lemon macaroon. The sweetness of the macaroon completely neutralizes the acidity of the curd, and it becomes heaven in my mouth."

The main course of Corvina Fillet, Fennel Aroma, Green Asparagus Panaché and Olive Oil Emulsion was the dish we had just learned, except with a different fish. We were told that corvine is the "charming brother of sea bass", and it has a firmer texture. The white fish resembles cod without the oil, and as Nathalie described it, it is "a little squishy". The different textures of asparagus, with a hint of lemon in the panache, were too wonderful for words and we were all impressed by the amount of work put into them.

Have room for more?

Trust the team at Caprice to wow us even more; instead of going on to dessert, restaurant manager/cheese guru Jeremy Evrard presented his beloved selection of cheeses. We had four in total: Race Rove (with olive oil), Sille sur Cher, Comté, and Fourme d'Ambert. The silence was the strongest approval. Jason declared that he will be "addicted to cheese from now on". If you want to learn more about cheese, don't miss the cheese promotion at Caprice from 23-28 November, when their fromager Jean-Francois Antony, will be visiting to showcase some of the best seasonal cheeses from his cave in Alsace.

Dessert at last. It was Tropical Coconut Express Sablé Breton and Coriander Jelly, Granny smith Apple Sorbet. The smooth texture of the coconut mousse and the wonderful coriander jelly in the centre were offset by the invigorating sorbet. The concoction was not too sweet and very light; perfect after the cheeses. Peter had been tipped off about a certain strawberry dessert and the team at Caprice generously gave us two portions to share.

It was a delectable day for us foodies. Thanks everyone at Caprice who prepared such a wonderful experience for our WOM members.