How Met Gala's feast aligned with the 'Sleeping Beauties' theme
If you thought the Met Gala was only about opulence, glamor, and jaw-dropping beauty, you may want to think again. The 2024 Met Gala showcased not only celebrities in meticulously chosen outfits but also a themed food menu. The theme, "The Garden of Time," was ingeniously interpreted by famed caterer Olivier Cheng. He designed a menu reflecting the magical gardens and majestic palaces of Sleeping Beauty's kingdom to make the event memorable.
Princess Aurora was intertwined with 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' theme
"Drawing on inspiration from the lush gardens and palaces of Sleeping Beauty's fantasy world, we really aimed to build our own bite-sized fairytale," Cheng told Vogue Magazine. His culinary journey commenced with a spring vegetable salad, artistically garnished with elderflower foam, raspberry vinaigrette, and olive crumble resembling soil. The salad was further embellished with butterfly-shaped croutons. The use of early spring vegetables symbolized Princess Aurora's awakening from her long sleep, aligning perfectly with the exhibition theme "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion."
The main course and dessert: Beef, walnut-flavored leaf
For the main course, guests were treated to a beef fillet topped with a tortellini rose, symbolizing a floating culinary castle surrounded by a pine needle and mushroom 'moat.' The dessert was an almond cremeux crafted into a miniature apple from the fairy tale Snow White, coated in a vibrant red mirror glaze and placed on a walnut-flavored 'leaf.' These dishes not only added to the visual appeal but also carried significant symbolism, enhancing the overall experience.
Menu adjustments and event decor
Interestingly, certain ingredients were intentionally left out from the menu due to Vogue Editor-in-chief and Met honcho Anna Wintour's personal preferences. In an interview, Wintour revealed her dislike for onion, garlic, and chives due to their potential to cause bad breath or get stuck in guests' teeth. The event's decor also reflected meticulous attention to detail with tables adorned with burgundy roses intertwined with English ivy, candelabras, and lettuce plates.
What is so special about the caterer?
Per Olivier Cheng Catering's website, "For over fifteen years Olivier Cheng Catering and Events has been creating innovative culinary experiences in New York's finest cultural institutions, private estates across the country, and exotic locales like the Royal Palace in Qatar." Some of their high-profile guests include Samsung, Prada, First Republic Bank, Gucci, Chanel, and Bvlgari, among others.
