Marmont, Entrecote and MoVida Are Heading to Mount Buller for Alpine Dinners and Apres-Ski Street Parties
This winter, hospitality group Tommy Collins is heading to the slopes for alpine-inspired meals and shindigs in the streets.
Mount Buller's après-ski scene is about to become more vibrant than ever, as renowned hospitality group Tommy Collins heads to the slopes for a four-weekend season. Presented across exclusive dining events and gastronomic street parties, several Melbourne-based culinary hotshots will bring a little more warmth to the snow, taking over the beloved mountainside venues, Villager and Little Villager.
Transporting their pots and pans to the summit, Grant Smillie (Marmont), Jason Jones (Entrecôte) and Frank Camorra (MoVida) will host a series of intimate, ticketed dinners, with each restaurant moving into the venue for a one-weekend-only dinner. Expect each session to ease into the evening with canapes and cocktails on The Villager Deck from 5.30pm. Then, the soiree moves inside for a seated feast guided by alpine flair, top-tier drinks and curated live entertainment that takes the mountainside ambience up a notch.
With more dates to be announced, the festivities kick off on Thursday, June 5–Saturday, June 7, with Grant Smillie's California-inspired Marmont, featuring winter-warming dishes like slow-cooked lamb shoulder and a chocolate chip cookie with cognac ice cream. Next, MoVida takes over with innovative Spanish cuisine from Friday, August 1–Saturday, August 2, serving an expansive menu including smoked Skull Island prawns, roasted suckling pig and, of course, hot churros dipped in rich chocolate sauce.
Finally, Prahran's Entrecôte arrives on Friday, August 15–Saturday, August 16, with its legendary steak frites, profiteroles au chocolat and all-around chic Parisian cuisine. With more to be revealed, each dinner is limited to just 120 guests per night, while diverse beverage programs will showcase standout wines, signature serves and cheeky surprises. With the owners of these restaurants a surprisingly musical bunch, you might just catch Jones tickling the ivories and Smillie in the DJ booth.
Yet dinner is only one part of the reason to head to the alps. Après-Ski Street Parties will also shut down Mount Buller's Bourke Street every Thursday for an open-air celebration of cocktails, culture and connection. Think boozy sessions featuring curated drinks and icy alpine shooters set against world-class DJs spinning tunes from midday to golden hour. Slide into stylish outdoor lounges, soak up the open-air mountainside mood and break out your most glamorous après-ski outfit, as 200 revellers heat up the slopes.
For those keen to get their winter started in the best way possible, Tommy Collins has put together the free but ticketed 'Party for the People' over the King's Birthday long weekend. Presented by Grant Smillie and friends, the snowfields will become a private playground from 1pm–5pm on Thursday, June 5, as this all-out alpine celebration combines live DJs with California-style eats and pyro-led performances.
Tommy Collins' Mount Buller series kicks off on Thursday, June 5. Head to the website for more information.
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