How to Serve Caviar: Etiquette, Spoons, and Breaking the Rules

Learn how to serve caviar at home without the intimidation. From the proper temperature to why you should never use a metal spoon, master the Caviére standard.

Caviar has a reputation for being stuffy, complicated, and bound by centuries of rigid etiquette. At Caviére, we believe luxury should be uncomplicated. Serving premium sturgeon roe at home doesn't require a butler or a culinary degree.. it just requires a little bit of knowledge and a healthy appetite.

Whether you are hosting a dinner party or treating yourself on a Tuesday, here is everything you need to know to serve caviar perfectly every time.

1. The Golden Rule: Keep it Cold Caviar is a living, breathing delicacy. Heat is its absolute worst enemy. Your tin should live in the coldest part of your refrigerator (usually the bottom back shelf) at 28-32°F right up until you are ready to eat. When you bring it out, serve the tin resting on a bed of crushed ice. If the caviar gets warm, the delicate beads can become mushy and lose their signature "pop."

2. The Utensils: No Metal Allowed This is the one traditional rule you actually have to follow. Never use a silver or metal spoon to serve caviar. Metal oxidizes the roe, transferring a harsh, metallic, "tinny" flavor to the beads.

• Do use: Mother-of-pearl, bone, wood, glass, or even a high-quality plastic spoon.
• The true Caviére way: Use a potato chip as your spoon. No dishes required.

3. The "Caviar Bump" Want to taste caviar exactly how the world’s best chefs do? Do a "bump." Place a small dollop of caviar on the back of your hand, right between your thumb and index finger. Wait about 3-5 seconds for your body heat to slightly warm the oils, and then eat it in one bite. Because human skin has no scent or flavor to interfere with the roe, you get the purest, most unadulterated taste of the sea.

4. Keep it Simple When you are eating ethically sourced, high-grade caviar, you don't need to mask it with heavy garnishes. Skip the chopped onions and hard-boiled egg yolks. Let the buttery, nutty flavor of the reserve speak for itself.

Ready to host? Skip the guesswork and grab The Reserve Kit, complete with our signature sturgeon caviar and the perfect tools to start your journey.