How to get a reservation at Heston Blumenthal’s Australian outpost
Details on the opening of celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal’s Australian pop-up restaurant have been released, including the official opening date, ballot-system reservation and new ‘super-sensory’ dining experience.
If you’re a Blumenthal fan and will be in Melbourne in the first half of 2015, save these dates: February 3 is the day the restaurant is set to open its doors; August 15 is when the pop-up closes shop; and the online ‘ballot’ reservation system will be open between October 8 to 26.
Earlier this year, Blumenthal announced plans to uproot his flagship, triple Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck in Bray heads to the Crown Tower Resorts in Melbourne for six months, while the original site undergoes long overdue renovations.
The Fat Duck fetes its 20th anniversary in 2015.
The move will also pave the way for Blumenthal’s permanent residence in Australia, as the chef is set to open Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in the hotel.
New and exclusive to the Melbourne version of The Fat Duck will be a Chef’s Table, described as a ‘super-sensory’ experience that will seat four guests near the kitchen entrance for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the inner workings of his Michelin-starred kitchen.
Diners will also be able to interact with the chefs throughout their meal.
Otherwise, guests in Australia can expect to experience a replica of the original Fat Duck restaurant from England: Blumenthal will be relocating, not only his staff, but original design pieces from the Bray site.
Guests will also sample some of his most iconic dishes including the ‘Sound of the Sea,’ ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ and ‘Snail Porridge.’
Each service accommodates 50 guests and meals last about four hours. The gastronomic experience doesn’t come cheap, at $525 AUD a seat ($471 USD).
But before you start exercising your index clicking finger, know that the online ballot system is not first come first serve, but will work as a lottery: After registering on www.thefatduckmelbourne.com between October 8 -26, a third party will draw from the pool of entries and successful applicants notified by email on November 10.
Blumenthal isn’t the only star chef to relocate halfway around the world.
Danish chef René Redzepi will be setting up a pop-up version of his Copenhagen restaurant Noma -- which was named the world’s best restaurant by Restaurant magazine this year -- in Tokyo for two months next year.
http://www.thefatduckmelbourne.com/
