Event - Gala Dinner

We were asked to organise a charity dinner and dancing event for 120 guests at The Royal Society in Carlton House Terrace last December. The invitation list included many well-known foodies so the pressure really was on.

Although we were given a very tight timescale, the evening was hugely successful and a great opportunity for our team to show what they were made of. Following reception drinks with stands of canapés such as giant cheese straws, marinated olives and toasted almonds, the guests were served a five course dinner with wine to compliment.

The menu was as predictably adventurous as it was traditional. An amuse bouche of Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle foam was followed by 24-hour smoked salmon with caviar, rack of English lamb and a classic lemon tart with goat’s cheese cream. The meal was rounded off with a delicious selection of British cheeses and warm walnut bread. Given the guest list, the pressure was on to perform and the team did us proud both in terms of food and service.

Before the live music and dancing started a charity auction and raffle were held which raised money for Crisis and the Leonard Cheshire Trust. Harbour & Jones donated a prize of one of our top event chefs to cater a six course private dinner for 10; this was hotly bid for and raised a good amount for the charities.

Carriages were at one o’clock and we sent the satisfied revellers into the night with a warming glass of bullshot to keep out the cold.