The Fat Duck to reopen this month under new theme: Childhood
When The Fat Duck reopens later this month, it will herald a new chapter for chef Heston Blumenthal’s triple Michelin-starred restaurant in Bray, including the introduction of a ticketing system and a new, whimsical, multi-sensory menu that helps diners relive the best of their childhoods.
After uprooting the entire staff to Australia for a six-month kitchen transplant that brought The Fat Duck to Melbourne, Blumenthal is set to reopen the doors to the newly renovated restaurant and menu on September 29.
It’s perhaps one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of the year, with fans and followers eager to discover what Britain’s culinary wizard has cooked up for the next iteration of his world famous restaurant, which brought the world crab ice cream back in 1998, snail porridge and an interactive ‘Sound of the Sea' plate.
And from the looks of the revamped website, the renaissance of The Fat Duck promises whimsical, fanciful dining experiences shaped around innocent childhood memories that engage all the senses.
Think nostalgic childhood breakfast cereal, the surreal world of Alice in Wonderland, and nursery rhymes.
“It will be a journey, starting from the instant you book your ticket, ever growing excitement for when you arrive and ending after you leave The Fat Duck,” Blumenthal said in a statement.
“It is me, describing my childhood holiday memory full of adventure, curiosity, discovery and playfulness that spans a day, from morning to night, breakfast to dreaming and in between. Activities like rock-pooling and getting an ice cream from the van near the beach.”
Meanwhile, if the concept sounds familiar, that’s because it’s not the first time Blumenthal has indulged his childhood fantasies through the vehicle of food.
In the TV program “Heston’s Fantastical Food,” Blumenthal supersized lunchbox school sandwiches, stuffing them with rogue fillings; created a Willy Wonka-inspired candy factory; and threw an Alice in Wonderland-style tea party.
The ultimate aim for the new restaurant? To reignite starry-eyed, childish wonder in its guests through food. But not just food.
Like a theatrical show, lighting, tableware, cutlery, and servers will play supporting roles in the aim of engaging all the senses, a concept first pioneered by French chef Paul Pairet at Ultraviolet in Shanghai, where music, diffused scents and light shows accompany their meals.
The revamped restaurant has also adopted a new reservation system, which will now require guests to pay for their meal up front with a ticket, not unlike booking a seat for a show or concert.
First introduced at Alinea in Chicago, the concept has also been adopted by Thomas Keller for his restaurants Per Se in New York and The French Laundry.
Reservations for The Fat Duck are now open for lunch and dinner. Menus are £255 per person (about $390 USD). Meals last around four hours.
