Time flies when you’re having fun. Swiss watch company Jaeger-Le Coultre celebrated its 180th birthday with an anniversary dinner on Sydney Harbour in the sails of the Opera House. Guillaume at Bennelong played host to the event, attended by a suitably fashion-savvy crowd including thoroughbred-sale entrepreneurs Arthur and Charlotte Inglis, tailor Patrick Johnson and his interior designer wife, Tamsin, opera singers Julie Lea Goodwin and Michael Cormick, , Jaeger-Le Coultre South East Asia and Australia managing director Alexis de Laporte, as well as guest of honour, Jaeger-Le Coultre artistic director Janek Deleskiewicz, in town from Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux for the event. Brahimi’s menu – including a dessert of tarte Tatin assembled at the table and designed to mimic the mechanics of the watches – rose to the occasion. Sydney Dance Company choreographer Michael Boyd’s dance routine was inspired by time and motion, but the real stars of the night were the collection of rare Jaeger-Le Coultre timepieces on display.
The food Roulade of smoked salmon with Avruga caviar canapés, cauliflower velouté with caviar and lobster, lamb with green asparagus, broad beans, morels, truffle and lamb jus served with Brahimi’s signature Paris mash and the aforementioned tarte Tatin.
The drink 2013 Lethbridge Pinot Gris (a great match with the cauliflower and lobster velouté), 2011 A. Retief Chardonnay, and a 2008 Bloodwood “Maurice” Caberbet Sauvignon poured with the lamb.
We loved Louis Roederer on arrival with Gourmet Traveller‘s favourite party snack, Guillaume Brahimi’s crab sandwiches.
