Four hands. Six hands. Doesn't matter.
I've been to a lot of these, and more-often-than-not, they understandably go off the rails. Strangers in a strange kitchen. Interminable wait times. Hit-and-miss courses. Untrained floor staff with a one-night-only menu. A parade of greatest hits instead of cooking in the moment.
James Lowe of Lyle's, Elena Reygadas of Rosetta and Dave Pynt of Burnt Ends pulled off the impossible. A perfect, thoughtful, technical, flavour-driven feast that will go down as the model for these types of events.
A HUGE thank you as well to the entire floor at Lyle's who must have consumed a food encyclopedia during briefing and served guests with care and courtesy. There were as excited to be there as the guests.
While I won't give a blow-by-blow of courses in this post (more industry meetings in London today!), the menu is as follows:
Canapes
Whelks & Savagnin Mayonnaise
Razor clam, gooseberry and green tomatoes
Steak frites
Fish & chips
Pistachio pipian taco
Short rib ssamjang
Mains
Scallop XO
Tripe, tomatoes & herbs
Smoked cheese & sweet potato tamale
Grilled eel, cured mangalitsa & peas
Desserts
Avocado sorbet & merchant cherries
Loganberry & meadowsweet choux bun
Brown butter cake
Thank you 50 Best for arranging an unforgettable evening!