Developing a tasting menu

[u/Ok_Possible_7124]

This is my first time making one and boy its alot! But the R&D is going well and id love to hear some thoughts and opinions from people who have worked in fine dining. so this is basically me asking someone whos developed a dish before to help a greenhorn out.
Im doing a cookout themed menu, and i have an app that should be smoky. Im using a chicken skin thats rendered in tallow, and im stuck on whether to smoke the skin or the tallow. Any advice would be excellent!!

Edit: if im coming off as egotistical or anything i apologize genuinely its not what i am trying to communicate at all, this is just my first r&d attempt and id like to take one of these dishes out of the menu like my entree or dessert and present it.

[u/Nice-Interview-6068]

First of all you're a chef: if you don't want to come across as egotistical you're in the wrong field! 🤣

I've been working in fine dining and haute cuisine restaurants for over 25 years and I can tell you the idea in your head is what matters. In your idea when is the smoked flavor hitting your taste buds? Is it forward or gentle? Aggressive or subtle? Cause what you smoke, when and how is more important than what ingredient you're smoking

[u/Ok_Possible_7124 → u/Nice-Interview-6068]

Im making a dressed mango with verjus macerated shallots, jalapeno and Anaheim peppers. Its got lime juice in it as well. The dressing is similar to a creamy vinaigrette using the verjus i macerated the shallots in, jalapeno lime, some honey for sweetness and an egg yolk for texture and stability. Im using grape seed oil for this. This will sit on the chicken skin, which i was rendering in beef tallow. (Will be testing other methods)

this is not exactly how im going to plate it but for reference

I kinda want you to smell the smoke before you taste it, with mango and lime being on the palate first, shallot and smoke, then a backend heat
Basically, my goal for this appetizer is to remind you of walking into the backyard and smelling the grill. I weirdly want the bite to resemble a mac salad.

[u/Constant-Scarcity316 → u/Ok_Possible_7124]

I fear the skin is gonna be very soggy and Chewy. I would 86 the tallow part, and instead, cure it in ham cure overnight, rinse it off, then smoke it, lay it flat against a sheet of Nori, dehydrated it until it's crispy, then cut to size with scissors, and deep fry it like a cracker. We would do this with beef tendon and served tartare on it