If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Londoners love an immersive experience. And when you throw into the mix seven of the most sought-after chefs, an exclusive rarely-used London venue, and a menu of Instagrammable culinary marvels, you know you’re in for a treat.
It’s a large space with an even larger vision, and it does a superb job at imprinting this into the minds of its awe-inspired guests. They have recruited huge names like Tom Sellers (chef-patron founder of two Michelin-starred Story), Andrew Wong (head chef and founder of two Michelin-starred A Wong), and Jason Howard (former sous chef at three Michelin-starred Connaught Hotel), and the food certainly lives up to the hype. But so does the rest of the experience, composed of four distinct worlds with their own charm and character to discover.
The Counter of Joy transports your tastebuds around the world with a choice from 14 dishes cooked up by the seven superchefs, taking you from country pastures of British Isles to the mountains of China and the coastlines of West Africa. You can map out your own journey through the continents, or relax with the pre-set seven-course tasting menu.
Wonky Dreams is all about decadent dessert and creative cocktails, and has a real boozy Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory vibe. There’s sweet surprises in every direction, so make sure your phone is ready to capture all!
Joyride is arguably the most exciting of the four worlds. The multi-sensory three-chapter tasting experience explores pleasure and joy, teasing smell, touch, and sound to manipulate the tastebuds in the pleasure-seekers’ grotto. Guided by Bang & Olufsen headphones, it involves foraging, ceremonies, and flying – and promises to transform your perception of eating.
Dining a la carte is possible at The Magic Garden, the atmospheric live lounge that plays host to soulful sounds from the likes of Etta Bond and Joel Culpepper, and DJs playing until late.
If we weren’t so busy mmm-ing and aah-ing at each dish that landed on our table, we might critique service that really could be better, given the lack of full house. But we easily attribute this to teething issues and look to the quality of the other aspects of The Great Feast experience to visualise what will eventually be.
It is impossible to leave unimpressed, given the magic atmosphere, captivating entertainment, and tremendous quality of food.
The culinary wonderland that is The Great Feast is now open for bookings. You can find it at the exclusive Old Selfridges Hotel, 1 Orchard St, London W1H 6HJ. But don’t wait too long to stop by – it’s only there until 18th December.
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