Nairobi, Aug. 13 -- It is usually obvious that the most exciting seat in a restaurant will be the one facing the plate. Now, in a growing number of fine-dining kitchens around the world, diners want to see what happens before the plate reaches the table. They want to feel the heat, movement and precision of the kitchen brought into the dining experience.

That is the promise of the chef's table, a format that gives a small group of diners a front-row seat to a culinary preparation as the chef curates a multi-course meal.

A chef's table is like getting a VIP seat inside the kitchen. Instead of sitting in the dining area, a small group of guests sits close to the chef and watches as their food is prepared, plated and served, while the chef...