Good Morning Lovelies, 

With only a few weeks to go lovelies until the great BAFTA ceremony is held in London, I was invited to try out the amazing menu the stars would be treated to after the event at the Grosvenor Hotel! And after having such a fantastic time last year, I could not say no lovelies! 

Upon entering the beautiful grey coloured room, I was greeted with a beautifully laid out table which featured this year’s films on the placements. As well as the familiar faces of the stars featured in the top films at the event, the table also showcased the lovely flower arrangements that would be on display, sweet chocolate gifts from Hotel Chocolat and a collection of drinks which had been specially selected to match each course, including white and red wines from Villa Maria and the BAFTA champagne Taittinger. 



In a few short weeks the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson and many more will hopefully be gracing similar tables to enjoy the meal that was soon displayed and spoken to us about. Starting with carefully prepared canapes, the menu has been created with these stars in mind as the dishes are beautifully presented and every detail is thought about before they are presented. 


Catering to everyone, including meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans, the menu has been put together to meet everyone’s needs. From specially marinated salmon starters, to gorgeously roasted vegetables and lamb based dishes,  the menu has been worked on since October last year, when the two head chefs Anton Manganaro and Nigel Boschetti come together to discuss their ideas for this year’s event. 



Working with 35 chefs on the night, the seasonal menu involves a lot of pre-prep to make sure no mistakes are made on the run up to the event and sticking with the British theme, that all produce is sourced in the UK. And this produce is absolutely delicious it seems as everyone loved the tastes of it and the smell that surrounded the room with each dish were incredible. If I could have bottled them I would! 


However the two chefs don’t work on one aspect of the menu until later in the stages, as Hotel Chocolat has come back for another year to provide the guests with the ultimate desert! Encouraging guests to fall in to a chocolate induced coma, the event will end on a huge chocolate treat as guests are presented with a 70% dark chocolate brownie with a chocolate mousse, salted caramel popcorn and berry compote lovelies, designed around the films that have been placed in this year’s top category. Creator David mentioned that the magic seen in ‘The Danish Girl’ was a huge inspiration for this piece in fact!



The BAFTAs are the only event, Hotel Chocolat, create deserts for lovelies and this one is going to top all of the ones that have been created in the past. Created around the dietary requirements guests have, the desert is always the highest expectation on the night, which is why the soft gooey brownie with the crunchy popcorn and sweet mousse is going to be amazing lovelies.

But none of these dishes would be complete lovelies without the best drinks around and as mentioned above this year sees the return of Villa Maria and Taittinger, who will be providing guests with the best and finest alcoholic drinks on the night. Taking three years to create the 12,000 glasses of champagne that will be drunk on the night; the dishes will be enjoyed with a bubbly glass, which will be handed out in a flute to keep the bubbles small and the drink fragrant and aromatic. 



This is the same for the red and white wines presented by Villa Maria, who have been working for over 30 years to give guests the best tasting drinks for each meal. Handed in a larger glass, the wines have been tasted to make sure that the concentrated aromas are not lost, which can happen due to the corks. However after losing the stoppers last year, the wine is sure to be on top form this year again as over 5,000 glasses are sure to be drunk on the night. 

Both companies have prided themselves on the family run businesses that they have always been and are hoping that they can give guests the best tasting wine and champagne that reflects the BAFTA awards, something I am in fact sure they will after seeing the passionate ways that Rupert Ponsonby and Paul Raper spoke about the brilliant drinks selected this year. 



On the 14th February, the guests who enter the lovely hotel, who I have to say a huge thank you to after I got lost and couldn’t find a way out and the wonderful friendly staff helped me back to my train, will be treated with the utmost respect as they enjoy a menu that many have worked so hard to make right and beautiful. There is going to be so much for them to enjoy and the foods they are going to eat are going to be absolutely amazing. 



BAFTA knows talent and they have found it with this menu and these incredible chefs, ingredients and drinks, to make not only an award winning film event but also an award winning dinner for award winning guests! And I am so thankful that I was able to try and see the amazing work put into it this year!