1.
banquet-style Japanese cuisine, formal multi-course dinner
A style of Japanese cuisine served as a sequence of courses at banquets, parties, or upscale restaurants. Emphasizes seasonal ingredients, beautiful presentation, and the social aspect of dining together.
会席料理を予約した。
I made a reservation for kaiseki cuisine.
旅館の夕食は会席コースだった。
Dinner at the inn was a kaiseki course meal.
季節の食材をふんだんに使った会席料理は、見た目も美しい。
Kaiseki cuisine that uses seasonal ingredients abundantly is beautiful to look at as well.
Not to be confused with 懐石 (also read かいせき), which originally refers to the simple meal served before a tea ceremony. In modern usage, the two terms are often used interchangeably for formal Japanese course meals, but their origins differ.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 会席料理 (kaiseki cuisine, banquet-style meal)
- 会席コース (kaiseki course meal)
- 会席膳 (kaiseki set meal/tray)
ORIGIN:
会席 literally means "gathering seat" and originally referred to gatherings for 連歌 (linked verse poetry). The elaborate meals served at these gatherings evolved into the formal dining style known today.