A Unique Dining Experience
The annual Chef’s Table Dinner at By Word of Mouth’s HQ has reached something of a cult status amongst those lucky enough to have been on the receiving end of an invitation. So how do we go about creating an event that exudes creativity and elegance, as well as giving an insight into the workings of London’s best luxury event caterer, all whilst taking place in an industrial kitchen?
The Look
For an event set in the heart of a working kitchen, you would think that an urban, edgy tablescape would be the obvious choice. What actually works best and is reflective of the style and creative elegance are at the core of our brand values, is a look that contrasts strongly with the industrial fittings, creating an oasis of chic amidst the ovens. So, inspired by Grace Kelly and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s Truly Scrumptious, shades of nude and pink were chosen and the concept for dining beneath a spring like bower of blossom was born.
Creative Details
Our creative team sourced unique pieces to add texture and individuality to the overall presentation. A natural, woven raffia placemat, along with an eclectic mix of vintage brass napkin rings – bees, dragonflies, lily pads and pineapples – brought the personality and unique style they were looking for. The table was rounded at each end and clothed in a textured, blush coloured linen that hit just the right note between pink and neutral. As a finishing touch, menus were designed and created in-house, a pretty scalloped edge and freeform calligraphy ensuring they felt up to date but elegant. For the pre dinner canapes, bespoke presentation trays were designed to hint at what was to come, with decoration of pale pink blossom, spring flowers, moss and even a miniature garden bench.
A Fine Dining Menu
The star of our Chef’s Table dinner is always the food, garnished and plated in front of the guests at a restaurant style pass, built to show as much of the action as possible. Several weeks before the event, By Word of Mouth’s Executive Head Chef and Menu Designer met to discuss and craft a menu of canapes and dinner that reflected our food philosophy for using the finest, sustainably sourced ingredients to create dishes full of flavour. Pre dinner canapes included one of our special, no waste canapes, that support food surplus charity, City Harvest London. Ethical caviar with confit Cotswold Legbar egg yolk, cured sea bass with red pepper & toasted almond gazpacho, and fillet of venison with a rich green coffee jus were chosen as just the right kind of food to eat beneath a glorious bower of blossom. The finale of the menu was a hand crafted glass sugar cloche, beneath which lay bright pink Yorkshire rhubarb with garnishes, foams and a refreshing parfait. Dry ice, concealed beneath the mossed and flowered plate was activated by an aromatic infusion, bringing atmosphere and theatre to round off the evening.
The Collaborators
The collaboration of floral maestro Simon Lycett and lighting experts Wise Productions helped bring our ideas to fruition and create a truly special experience for our guests. Specially created blossom printed vinyls were placed over the windows of our Tasting Room so that guests were treated to the jaw dropping impact of the table presentation as they entered the kitchen. Whilst Simon Lycett’s team focused on bringing spring in all its beauty to the table, the Wise Guys added subtle lighting, blossom projections and melodic birdsong to complete the vision and set the scene for a wonderful evening of fine dining, networking and socialising.