Very rarely would you try for a table at the hottest restaurant with a reservation on Saturday night in Melbourne, but what about without even knowing the location? Melbourne’s foodies, fashion fiends and Francophiles did just that last weekend, gathering across from Southern Cross Station armed with all-white everything ahead of Diner en Blanc, the most glam pop-up picnic you’ve ever heard of.
The secretive dining experience was launched with just a handful of friends by François Pasquier over 25 years ago in Paris, Saturday marked the inaugural Melbourne edition of the now-international picnic, with 800 plus diners descending on the grassy waterfront in front of the Melbourne Exhibition centre. And it wasn’t just the dress code that adhered to the all white colour palate, the theme extended to the table settings, decorations…and even some wigs.
Choosing between packing your meals or purchasing a pre-made hamper, we sat down to a three course meal after signifying the beginning of the picnic by ceremoniously waving our napkins in the air, and celebrated by delighting with delicious French wine, music and the stunning views of the Yarra.
With the formality of the event, it was easy to forget that this was only temporary…until our time was up and the instant restaurant was deconstructed as quickly as it appeared.
Diner en Blanc is now held annually in 40 cities, with over 100,000 people attending worldwide.
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