It’s like a rogue episode of  Top Chef . We’re 55 floors above the Melbourne skyline — a double rainbow appearing right on cue — savouring morsels of South Australian abalone along with a Sydney rock oyster, jasmine and finger-lime koshu at Vue de monde restaurant when the impeccable team suddenly whisks us into the kitchen.

Passing weapons-grade Japanese white-oak charcoal burners and basalt marble counters, they hand over pestle-and-mortar duties to us: my fellow traveller Andrea Carlson, one of Canada’s most vaunted chefs and restaurateur of Vancouver’s Michelin-starred Burdock & Co, and me —  er , a slothful cook at best. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The liquid nitrogen crisping up the rose petals and fennel flowers we’r

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