UK-trained, Australian chef Lennox Hastie has forged a name for himself in the culinary scene. Not just for his stint on Netflix Chef’s Table (though the show stirred a hurricane of hype around Hastie). He’s the man at the helm of Sydney’s acclaimed Firedoor restaurant and the newly opened Gildas, a San Sebastián-inspired wine bar.
Now he’s bringing an exclusive, one night only dinner to Firedoor in his role as The Balvenie Maker for 2022. The Balvenie’s annual project champions modern creatives who excel in their craft; Hastie has spent decades mastering the art of cooking with fire.
If you’re gunning for a seat at the table of Sydney’s most sought-after restaurant, The Balvenie x Lennox Hastie Experience is the event to shoot for. Though you’ll have to enter the ballot first (with the blind faith that you’ll secure a limited ticket).
The intimate evening features a five-course spread matched with The Balvenie’s iconic collection of single malts, and two never-before released cask samples from The Balvenie Distillery in Scotland.
The menu is stacked with ingredients like aged barrel of pork and forgotten rum mustard, complementing a 14 Year Old single malt whisky. Expect oyster mushrooms in sherry caramel alongside a European oak cask whisky tasting, amongst other gourmet delights in this bespoke menu.
“To be a Maker, pouring your heart into your craft so that you can master it is innate to me. I have spent years learning the art of cooking with fire, becoming completely consumed by it, trying things again and again, sometimes failing, but persevering each time in an attempt to be as close as possible to perfection,” says Hastie.
“After two years in the making, I look forward to bringing the Maker project to life for one night, celebrating the heart that has gone into this carefully crafted menu, paired with some iconic and some never before tasted Balvenie single malts,” he adds.
The Balvenie distillery has been handcrafting whisky for more than 125 years in the picturesque surroundings of Dufftown, Speyside (in Scotland). It’s the only distillery that grows its own barley, malts in its own traditional floor maltings, and still employs a team of coopers to tend to the casks alongside a coppersmith to maintain the stills.
Like Hastie, The Balvenie’s craftsmen utilise the skills they have developed over decades to reach the pinnacle of their craft. Their dedication to achieving mastery is what sets them apart, making an invite to this event all the more covetable.
The ticket price of $475 includes a five-course meal curated to be perfectly paired with a selection of The Balvenie Single Malt Whisky, a bottle of The Balvenie 12 year old DoubleWood signed by Lennox Hastie, and all beverages on the night.
To enter the ballot for your chance to purchase a ticket, visit here.
Brought to you by The Balvenie.