Extraordinary scenes last night down at the London Eye where flamboyant Richard Corrigan was the first chef to ever cook and serve a three course, sit-down dinner for ten in a London Eye Restaurant Capsule.
The lucky diners had bid for the opportunity to take part with a portion of the money raised going to charity.
Once the Eye had closed to the public one capsule was magically transformed into a mini restaurant with a beautifully laid table for ten specially constructed for the evening with white linen tablecloth. Chef Corrigan and his team we ensconced in the ticket office which had been converted into a pop-up kitchen.
On being shown the table the ten guests, nattering and laughing with excitment and anticipation, sat down at their table and the exceptionally relaxed and professional team from Corrigan’s served the first course of langoustine with cumin. Then the flying diners were off and the wheel began its first langorous rotation. It was an extraordinary sight as all but the restaurant capsule were dark while the guests’ bubble shone. After 30 minutes they returned. The views, they said, on the clearest of autumnal evenings were sublime as was the starter and the wine.
Chef Corrigan returned and served the most delicious pithivier of teal and grouse – a plump, gamey pillow that arrived piping hot despite the trials of having akitchen a few hundred metres away and having to go ‘through security’ with each course. Pudding and cheese were served for the third and final rotation.
This morning I received a message from the gentleman who successfully bid for the evening. He praised the fantastic professionalism of all involved and said it was one of the most magical evenings he had ever experienced with his family in London.
He’s asked to reserve one for next year.
I must add my praise to our team from the London Restaurant Festival and also those from the London Eye for pulling off a remarkable evening.
It’s only the first of seven consecutive nights however – this evening it’s Gordon Ramsay.
I’m just off to Covent Garden where Anotonio Carluccio, Jason Atherton from Maze, Sam and Eddie Hart of Quo Vadis and Barrafina and Atul Kotchar of Benares are appearing at our Airstream hub to sign copies of their latest books.
I hope you have all managed to book somewhere to try a festival menu this weekend. There are over 500 restaurants across London and dinner starts at £15 and lunch for a tenner.
Have fun.
And so, less than a year after the idea was hatched the first London Restaurant Festival has begun. I am writing this from our fantastic chrome 1950s Airstream caravan in Covent Garden that is operating as our 
we’ve got the world’s best pizza tossers who will be performing jaw-dropping tricks as they spin and toss their pizza bases. You’ll get the opportunity to have a go and also a masterclass in making you own pizza. This has been organised by one of our key festival patrons, Pizza Express. You will see that over 100 of their restaurants are running specially discounted festival menus throughout the week.
