Chef Dominique Crenn’s melon salad recipe features multiple melon varieties and cooking techniques for the ultimate experience of this refreshing summer fruit. If you don’t have several hours to devote to this restaurant-level dish, Chef Crenn offers a simpler possibility of grilled melon with lettuce and vinaigrette.


Dominique Crenn’s Melon Salad Recipe 

[Dominique Crenn](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dominique-crenn-teaches-modern-vegetarian-cooking) is an award-winning chef and advocate for sustainability and equity in the culinary world. Though she is now among the world’s most celebrated chefs, her path to culinary greatness was not without its challenges. After being turned away from many French culinary schools due to antiquated opinions about female chefs, Chef Crenn set out for California, where she forged her own culinary identity rooted in personhood, memories, and mindfulness. 

In San Francisco, Chef Crenn opened Atelier Crenn, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant where diners receive a poem instead of a menu, with each dish represented by a line of poetry. Chef Crenn describes her [food philosophy](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/dominique-crenn-on-food-philosophy) as “poetic culinaria.”

A melon salad is a fruit salad featuring melons, such as watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and heirloom melon varieties. Often served as a summer side dish, you can pair melon salad with other fresh fruits (like strawberries and blueberries) and garnish it with fresh mint leaves for brunch. Alternatively, create a savory take on the side dish with additions like arugula, feta cheese, or red onion.

Chef Dominique Crenn’s take on this fruit salad involves multiple melon varieties and cooking techniques. For a simpler version of this layered ode to melon, prepare the grilled component on its own, and serve it with fresh lettuces and vinaigrette. 
Before carving, gather two large bowls: one for the melon meat trim and seeds and the other for the melon rind. Here’s how to carve a melon:

1. __Remove the ends__. Using a chef’s knife, cut both ends off the melon, then place it flat-side down on a cutting board. 
2. __Carve away the rind__. Holding the top of the melon still, slice downward along the curve of the melon’s flesh to carve away the rind. You can reserve these trims for use in a melon vinaigrette later, if desired, by placing them in one of the large bowls. Next, turn the melon to continue carving the next section of rind. Trim any areas from the melon that feel hard or look lighter in color. 
3. __Halve the melon__. Place the skinned melon on a clean kitchen towel to prevent sliding, then cut the melon in half. 
4. __Remove the seeds__. Using a spoon, scoop out the interior seeds and place them into the other large bowl. 

Ladle the melon purée into a cheesecloth-lined strainer.
Brown and caramelize the melon wedges on the grill, smoking them with a fan as you wait.
Pour the melon water over the seasoned and grilled melon.
Cold smoke the grilled melon wedges.
Incorporate the agar-agar into the melon water.
Assemble the components of the melon salad and garnish with fresh herbs and edible flowers.
Chef Dominique Crenn’s melon salad recipe features multiple melon varieties and cooking techniques for the ultimate experience of this refreshing summer fruit. If you don’t have several hours to devote to this restaurant-level dish, Chef Crenn offers a simpler possibility of grilled melon with lettuce and vinaigrette.


<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dominique-crenn-teaches-modern-vegetarian-cooking' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dominique-crenn-teaches-modern-vegetarian-cooking","linkCopy":"Dominique Crenn","category":null}'>Dominique Crenn</a> is an award-winning chef and advocate for sustainability and equity in the culinary world. Though she is now among the world’s most celebrated chefs, her path to culinary greatness was not without its challenges. After being turned away from many French culinary schools due to antiquated opinions about female chefs, Chef Crenn set out for California, where she forged her own culinary identity rooted in personhood, memories, and mindfulness. In San Francisco, Chef Crenn opened Atelier Crenn, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant where diners receive a poem instead of a menu, with each dish represented by a line of poetry. Chef Crenn describes her <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/dominique-crenn-on-food-philosophy' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/dominique-crenn-on-food-philosophy","linkCopy":"food philosophy","category":null}'>food philosophy</a> as “poetic culinaria.”

Meet Dominique Crenn

A melon salad is a fruit salad featuring melons, such as watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and heirloom melon varieties. Often served as a summer side dish, you can pair melon salad with other fresh fruits (like strawberries and blueberries) and garnish it with fresh mint leaves for brunch. Alternatively, create a savory take on the side dish with additions like arugula, feta cheese, or red onion.Chef Dominique Crenn’s take on this fruit salad involves multiple melon varieties and cooking techniques. For a simpler version of this layered ode to melon, prepare the grilled component on its own, and serve it with fresh lettuces and vinaigrette.

What Is a Melon Salad?

Before carving, gather two large bowls: one for the melon meat trim and seeds and the other for the melon rind. Here’s how to carve a melon:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Remove the ends. Using a chef’s knife, cut both ends off the melon, then place it flat-side down on a cutting board. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Carve away the rind. Holding the top of the melon still, slice downward along the curve of the melon’s flesh to carve away the rind. You can reserve these trims for use in a melon vinaigrette later, if desired, by placing them in one of the large bowls. Next, turn the melon to continue carving the next section of rind. Trim any areas from the melon that feel hard or look lighter in color. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Halve the melon. Place the skinned melon on a clean kitchen towel to prevent sliding, then cut the melon in half. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Remove the seeds. Using a spoon, scoop out the interior seeds and place them into the other large bowl. </li></ol>

How to Carve a Melon

How to Make Dominique Crenn’s Melon Evolved Recipe

Ladle the melon purée into a cheesecloth-lined strainer.

Brown and caramelize the melon wedges on the grill, smoking them with a fan as you wait.

Pour the melon water over the seasoned and grilled melon.

Cold smoke the grilled melon wedges.

Incorporate the agar-agar into the melon water.

Assemble the components of the melon salad and garnish with fresh herbs and edible flowers.

Dominique Crenn’s Melon Evolved (Melon Salad) Recipe

Chef Dominique Crenn’s melon salad recipe features multiple melon varieties and cooking techniques for the ultimate experience of this refreshing summer fruit. If you don’t have several hours to devote to this restaurant-level dish, Chef Crenn offers a simpler possibility of grilled melon with lettuce and vinaigrette.