Event Industry News

Chilli Pepper add a little extra spice to Garsington Opera.

Garsington Opera, one of the UK’s most intimate and unique summer festivals experiences, provided an exciting culinary challenge to specialist event caterers Chilli Pepper. Fine dining was central to the experience for visitors, up to 300 of whom per evening enjoyed the hospitality package over the 21 nights of the event.

This was Chilli Pepper’s first year at Garsington Opera, following its success securing a three year contract with the event last October, and the team had to meet an exacting brief. Meanwhile, the event itself was celebrating its 20^th anniversary, welcoming amongst others, international conductor Martin André and Columbian soprano Juanita Lascarro and Russian Sergei Leiferkus.

Chilli Pepper was asked to improve the diversity and quality of the menu and to encourage opera fans to dine at the event as well as enjoy the performance. Accordingly, Chilli Pepper Head Chef Dan Mann designed a menu that would entice the most cultured palates.

The Classic Menu included starters such as ham hock and parsley terrine with spiced apricot chutney; and foie gras and smoked chicken with prune compote & toasted brioche. Among the mains were Corn-fed chicken ballotine wrapped in prosciutto with roasted summer vegetables, mash and basil pesto dressing; and new season lamb with summer beans, sweet potato and a honey and mint jus. Desserts included bitter chocolate marquise with orange shortbread, plus raspberry and vanilla crème brulée.

Among the challenges were to serve the three course meal in a tight time window of one hour and ten minutes, ensuring there was absolute silence in the kitchen area after service to avoid disturbing the opera performance.

In addition the company was required to provide refreshments including caviar and blinis, canapés, a celebration afternoon tea for two, a traditional cream tea and picnics served in a hamper.

“Garsington Opera was keen to expand its appeal to visitors by offering a high quality dining experience,” says Chilli Pepper’s Managing Director, Glen Chadwick. “The feedback we’ve had from guests suggests that our menu, featuring classical English summer treats during the afternoon with a five star dining experience in the evening, was ideal for one of the UK’s leading cultural celebrations of the summer.”

Chilli Pepper also demonstrated its logistical expertise, simultaneously catering for events at Warwick Castle and at the Silverstone Grand Prix on one of the Garsington Opera weekends.