The Grand Blogger Dinner

On the 17th of May 2019, the first-ever Grand Blogger Dinner event took place in London at the magnificent St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. The event has previously been a success in Amsterdam, Milan, Berlin, Rome, and Brussels.

Organised by Mr. Goodie Bag, the culinary event brought together six different food brands who showed off their dishes. There was also a beautiful wine producer, Familia Torres Wine, who paired the dishes throughout the evening.

The event started with sparkling wine and a canapé reception just by The Grand Staircase. After we all got over how beautiful the Staircase was (took photos obvs), we got networking and got to meet the man behind the whole event, Alwin Pascal Jager. Alwin explained the idea behind the events and his passion shined through. No wonder they are such a success.

 

It was inspiring to meet very influential bloggers and come face to face with some I recognised through Instagram.

Food and Wine:

We had a trio of canapés courtesy of Peter’s Yard who make a range of sourdough crispbread in their bakery in London. We had an inspiring talk from one of the co-founders and got to see how the original Swedish knackebrod was.

The canapés, all with a variety of Peter’s Yards crispbread included

• smoked salmon, salmon caviar, edible flowers, and leek ash

•cucumber curls, asparagus, cream cheese, and herb purée

• beetroot and walnut dip

 

Paired with  Vardon Kennett, Cuvee Esplendor these were going down a treat.

 

About an hour later, the dining room was ready. We all took our places and waited eagerly for what was next.

Before each course, Alwin introduced the chefs who gave a talk about their dishes before they came out. Brenda from Familia Torres Wines gave us a mini tasting lesson on the wine we were about to have with our course too.

 

Familia Torres has five generations of wine culture passed down. Not only have they got so much passion, but they are also committed to protecting land and the environment.

First Course by Ponti: Red Shrimp Crudo on Orange and Strawberry Panzanella with Aceto Balsamic Di Modena

 

Second Course by St Pancras Renaissance: Pearl Barley Risotto, Laverstoke Burrata, Fresh English Peas, Pea Tendrils, Lemon & Ramson Flowers

 

Third Course by St Helens Farm: Watermelon Granita with goats milk

 

Fourth Course by Delicius Official: Galletto All’Arrabbiata with Delicius Anchovy Fillet in Olive Oil and Peppers

 

Fifth Course by RemeoGelato: A selection of Authentic Italian Artisan Gelato including Mango & Pistachio.

 

Each course was made to perfection and had a blend of delicious flavours. The textures were perfect and went down a treat. I am not a big wine drinker however I enjoyed two of the ones that Brenda brought around which I think it a great result.

The Decor:

The Grand Blogger Staircase Room has a high painted ceiling and the tables were beautifully decorated by Casa.

We had a booklet with all the information on the food and wine we had in the evening along with recipes.

 

The dining table was dressed by Casa who has the latest interior tendencies and an inspiring collection. The booklet had a section on Casa’s beliefs and I think they nailed it.

The Goodie Bag:

Once we finished our meal and said our goodbyes Alwin was waiting for us with his famous Goodie Bag. It was no ordinary Goodie Bag, it was a grand one with amazing merchandise, a few being from the brands we tried on the evening.

 

It was a perfect event for all the foodies and truly was grand. I got to meet some amazing bloggers and found out more about some of the great brands that were there. The food and wine coma was worth it and I sure was in #foodheaven.

 

Thank you Mr. Goodie Bag.

Neha 

x

Disclaimer:  I was invited to The Grand Blogger event. There was no expectation to write a blog post however the experience was amazing and had to be shared.