Dining in the dark
To celebrate the North Coast Festival of Flavour, Forest restaurant is turning off the lights so you can turn up your senses, and let your tastebuds lead the way.
In this one-of-a-kind and unforgettable culinary journey, blindfolded guests will enjoy a tasting menu expertly designed to incorporate the other four senses – sound, scent, taste, and touch. Set on their sprawling verandah, guests will be treated to an immersive rainforest experience. The event is supposed to be intimate, so space is limited to only forty people.
‘Studies have shown that your sense of taste is heightened by your loss of sight,’ said Jordan Staniford, Executive Chef at Forest. ‘So, we’re giving our guests the opportunity to let their less-used senses take over. It’s going to be incredible.’
Staniford will guide guests through the evening and each of the courses. Slip on your luxe silk eye mask from Slip (yours to keep) and let your senses take over.
‘Leave your phone in your pocket, or bag, and come with an open mind. This is a chance to connect with the food on a truly different level,’ adds Staniford.
Staniford is no stranger to creative and unique events – he leads the culinary vision for Forest, the Verandah, Blue and all the events and conferences at Crystalbrook Byron. His menus highlight the abundance of the Northern Rivers’ region – produce from the soil of our local farmers, sustainably sourced seafood, native ingredients grown in the surrounding rainforests and along the dunes, and a focus on seasonal produce with a twist. Staniford continues to drive Forests’ sustainable and ever-evolving culinary journey.
Tickets for Dining in the Dark are $150 per person, and include an indulgent, 90-minute meal, plus creative, sustainable drink pairings with each course.
Set next to a lush rainforest oasis, Forest Byron Bay celebrates sustainability by working hand-in-hand with local farmers, growers and artisans. Passionately local, over 80 per cent of Forest’s ingredients come from within a three-hour drive of the resort. The environment sits close to heart, with the restaurant using only sustainably sourced seafood and free-range proteins, and doing their bit to grow, consume and compost with on-site herb gardens, four beehives and seven Subpods®.
The details: Saturday, 4 June, 7pm–10pm. Tickets are $150 per person, which includes a complimentary Slip Silk Eye Mask valued at $55, book via: www.crystalbrookcollection.com/byron/special-offers.
