London Diners Have Just Sat Down to 200 Courses in 24 Hours
This is what gluttony looks like at the hands of food artists Bompas & Parr.
They've made fireworks you can eat, cooked T-bone steaks with lava and served bespoke cocktails tailor made to match your DNA. But this past week in London, culinary wizards Sam Bompas and Harry Parr may have outdone themselves yet again.
Hosted in a converted warehouse in partnership with deals website bespokeoffers.co.uk, The 200 Club can claim the title of the world's longest tasting menu, featuring 200 different dishes over 24 non-stop hours of service. Eight chefs toiled away in the kitchen creating the tasting plates, which ranged from truffle bubbles to coffee-compressed watermelon. A two hour sitting cost between £49 and £99 depending on the time of day, or you could attempt the entire gastronomic marathon for £2,000 per couple. Only four people have the stomach for the latter option, but we have to imagine they were happy with their decision.
Of course it wouldn't be a Bompas & Parr affair without a little additional visual theatre. As such, each sitting was differentiated by the colour of the food, a move inspired by the monochromatic feasts of Emperor Nero. Check out the menu, as well as some photographic highlights, below.
200 CLUB MENU
Yellow Breakfast: A morning repast that zings with citrus, caffeine and craft. This culinary explosion will hybridise flavours of the East and West in a high-energy, high-end display of homely food love.
White Elevenses: A British tradition bejewelled in surreal sparkle. Expect custards, shortbread, quiches, clouds of confection sugar and a dreamy sweet vision of the classic treats.
Green Lunch: This meal will be a rustic yet refined version of the garden snacking of yore. Look forward to leafy eating including the freshest greens, meats and cheeses, plus a procession of fluorescent jellies.
Blue Afternoon Snack: A powerhouse of flavour for the lazy hours of the day. Taste an otherworldly array of vibrant and dusty turquoises in the form of naturally tinted roots and skilfully prepared fish.
Purple Five O’Clock Tiffin: Rooted in the wild and rich darkness of summer, enjoy ingredients such as wild game and dark summer fruits. Dishes will speak to simple food traditions reinterpreted with modern culinary craft.
Pink Dinner: Forget “trendy” food items like burgers or hot dogs. Your table will be buzzing with eye-popping fuchsia, cured meats, and smouldering wood smoke.
Red Party Time: A sultry explosion of party vibes and hot weather flavours. You’ll see Australian and Asian influences, balancing classic spice and tropical tangs with modern style.
Orange Drunchies: The extension of a great night out. Expect contradicting textures, bleeding edge techniques, and lashings of moreishness to tantalise the palate.
Brown Blackout: Indulge in a meal of carnal urges – sweet, hot and savoury dishes. The chef will keep you on your toes with coffee, chocolate, black garlic, squid ink, soy sauce, and liquorice.
Multicolour Final Countdown: A communal carousal of globally-inspired festival food. Mark the culmination of The 200 Club with a multinational flavour and colour explosion, using vibrant colours with grand presentations.
Images by Adam Laycock via Bespoke Offers.
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