Food & Wine News South Africa

Le Dîner en Blanc comes to the Mother City

Le Dîner en Blanc will take over one of Cape Town's public spaces on 28 November for its first refined pop-up epicurean event.

Launched in Paris more than 25 years ago by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Dîner en Blanc Paris now attracts nearly 15,000 people each year. What began as a 'friends and word-of-mouth only' event has grown into an international epicurean sensation in over 60 cities in more than 25 countries. While the technology behind the event may has changed over the years, the principles fuelling it have not: guests continue to gather at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city's most beautiful locations.

Le Dîner en Blanc comes to the Mother City

"We felt Cape Town was primed for such a dazzling event as an increase of interest in fine living has been noted over the years," said Ross Maltman, co-host of the Cape Town Dîner en Blanc, who has been working in the event industry for over 20 years and hopes to make this first edition a success that will pave the way towards establishing a long-standing tradition.

Friendship, elegance and gallantry

In essence, Le Dîner en Blanc promotes friendship, elegance and gallantry. Over the course of the evening, the guests enhance the function and value of one of their city's signature public spaces by participating in the unexpected.

To maintain its uniqueness as well as staying true to tradition of Le Dîner en Blanc, guests must observe certain requirements and follow a few key rules:

• To participate in this first edition: guests must be invited via the hosts' network or participating partners or get on waiting list via the official website at capetown.dinerenblanc.info/register
• Once confirmed, each guest's participation becomes mandatory, regardless of weather conditions. This is a rain or shine event.
• Dress code: elegant and white only. Originality is encouraged as long as it is stylish and tasteful.
• Table setting: all white.
• To ensure that the location secret is kept secret until last minute, guests meet at assigned departure location and are escorted by Dîner en Blanc volunteers.
• In order to leave the event location as clean as when they arrived, guests are required to leave with all their belongings, leftovers and litter.

Guests must bring:

• A picnic basket comprising fine food and proper stemware and white dinnerware.
o An option to pre-order food, which can be picked up at the site, will be available for those who do not wish to pack their own picnic baskets. Guests wishing to do so must reserve online through Le Dîner en Blanc website during the initial ticket registration.
• Champagne or wine. Beer and hard liquor are prohibited.

For full details on the rules and regulations, go to capetown.dinerenblanc.info/about

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