Dine with Monet

words by niall roeder

When you hear the name, Claude Monet, you probably don’t think of Masterchef, The Naked Chef or Gordon Ramsey putting two pieces of bread against a poor girl’s head and making her admit she’s an “idiot sandwich”. But it turns out that the father of French Impressionism could actually be the original celebrity chef. Move over Colombaris, get out of here Oliver, Monet is dans la maison.

Art historian, Dr. Wendy Joyce of Victoria University and Executive Chef, Laurent Loudeac are the brains behind Dine with Monet – a feasting experience inspired by Monet’s two-acre kitchen garden and the sixty-odd recipes from the cookbook, Monet’s Palate – The Artist and His Kitchen Garden at Giverny.

If an immersion in history, art and traditional French cuisine makes your kettle boil, then this Wellington on a Plate event is for you, my hungry and sophisticated friend.

Set amongst the extensive art collection of Hippopotamus (the country’s largest privately owned art collection), the expertly-curated five course degustation will take art-loving foodies on a journey to late 19th Century France to explore the connections between painting and gastronomy.

“Monet’s passion for food was expressed through his beloved garden. Guests at this event will enjoy bountiful New Zealand produce and traditional French cooking” – Executive Chef, Laurent Loudeac

Who knew Monet was an undercover foodie?

Wellington on a Plate is going to be two big, tasty weeks. If you’re looking somewhere to crash, QT Museum Wellington has a festival accommodation offer that will let you enjoy your food coma in style.

Dine with Monet will take place August 23 2018, 7pm – 11:30pm at Hippopotamus.

Tickets can be purchased here.