For the launch of the Blue Plaque Plates that I had designed in association with English Heritage, I created an immersive dining experience for six VIP's that took place at the Freud Museum in London. Each of the six courses was a feast for the senses inspired by the lives and work of Jimi Hendrix, Agatha Christie, Sigmund Freud, Kenneth Williams, Alfred Hitchcock and Emmeline & Christabel Pankhurst - the six notables celebrated on the plates. Served on the plates themselves, the courses traced a culinary and historical trip around London in fun, unexpected and thoughtful ways.
An evening served in six acts:
Act 1 - Welcome champagne sabrage in the garden - the Master of Ceremonies slices the top off a champagne bottle with a sword whilst declaring Kenneth William's famous line - 'Infamy, infamy, they've all got it infamy!'. Amuse bouche of 'Red Herrings' and a London Fog inspired 'Pea Souper' are served on a Kenneth Williams plate and with a tongue firmly in cheek!
Act 2 - 'Choose your Poison' - Cocktails to die for served from poison bottles in Freud's study with a reading from Agatha Christie's book After The Funeral where a dinner guest is believed to have been served a poisoned cocktail...
Act 3 – 'Purple Haze' - The lighting in the dining room turns to purple and a mushroom based appetiser is served in a cloud of dry ice to a soundtrack of Hendrix's Purple Haze.
Act 4 – 'A Taste of Suspicion' - Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's love of practical jokes and throwing dinner parties where all food was blue, a blue soup is served!
Act 5 – 'Curry Favour' - The main course of a curry dish, being Britain's favourite food, is served on Sigmund Freud plates.
Act 6 – 'A Smashing Dessert!' - Guests were invited to cast a vote for either blueberries or raspberries to top their creme brulee dessert. A toffee hammer was presented to guests with which to smash the (patriarchy!) caramelised brulee top (suffragettes used toffee hammers to break windows as part of their civil disobedience).
Digestif – 'A Shot in the Dark' - Amaretti liqueur (almonds smell of cyanide) and coffee are served in the museum foyer. Suddenly, the lights cut out and a gunshot is fired. The lights come back up to reveal a body lying on the floor...