Just Open: The Kitchen at Bennelong, Sydney

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Just tasting executive chef Peter Gilmore's food is an experience in itself, but now you can watch his creations come to life from your own table at The Kitchen at Bennelong - the latest venue to be unlocked from his Bennelong restaurant at the Sydney Opera House.

This small space is perched at the top of Bennelong's food engine, where you can watch chefs work inside the heart of one of Australia's most iconic buildings. With an eight-course degustation menu and bonus views of Sydney Harbour Bridge on offer, these are truly the best seats in the house.

Which is why there aren't many of them - given the intimate dining experience, there's only room enough for four people per sitting. So guests will meet their host for the evening at the Opera House and be escorted to a service lift, where they ascend directly into Bennelong's kitchen. The menu is yet to be set, but it will be inspired by Bennelong's signature modern Australian cuisine, with several meals designed exclusively for diners at The Kitchen.

"Guests in the kitchen will have a special menu that's created for them," says Peter Gilmore. "The menu changes regularly with the seasons. We start people off with oysters and champagne, then they'll come into the main kitchen area, and we'll proceed with eight courses - usually six savoury and two desserts." Each dish will be matched to wines selected by head sommelier Russ Mills. Guests will also walk away with a bottle of Cudgegong extra virgin olive oil from Mudgee NSW.

A dedicated host will direct the evening and guests will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the chefs and waiters. Watch as your dishes materialise before your eyes while chefs serve and explain their techniques. It's the private table experience of Bennelong.

"There's no divide at all, no glass screen, nothing," Gilmore says. "We've just allowed enough space around the dining table so guests feel comfortable. But they are basically in the kitchen. Chefs are walking past, waiters are walking past and they can observe the whole action of the space. It's a pretty interesting experience for those who are interested in the behind the scenes of a restaurant," he says.

If you've been tracking Bennelong's movements since its opening, you'll know that the venue keeps opening new spaces for different sorts of entertaining - the most recent being a pop-up bar on the balcony. But Gilmore says, "The Kitchen really is the last piece of the puzzle to be offered. So we're really looking forward to embracing it."

The minimum spend at The Kitchen is $2200 for the table of four and includes service. Two parties of two people are also welcome to dine at The Kitchen at $550 per person.

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, 02 9240 8000, bennelong.com.au