Diner en Blanc Kingston: A gastronomic all-white affair
Hope Gardens in St Andrew
was a sea of pure white, as fashionable patrons decked out in all-white attire
waited to be shuttled to the secret location of Diner en Blanc Kingston, on
Saturday, November 30.
The anticipation and
excitement were visibly high, as guests with picnic baskets in hand converged
at the location.
A prime feature of the
dinner party is the high level of secrecy that surrounds the location of the
venue. To add to the attendees’ surprise and amusement, the location was
literally a two-minute walk away from the departure point, on another section
of the Hope Gardens property! Of course, no one had a clue!
Celebrating its fourth staging
in Jamaica, the Diner en Blanc venue was beautifully decorated in white, with
tables, chairs, tablecloths and napkins set out for the 600 patrons to assemble
their picnic spot.
While seated and awaiting
the start of the gourmet dinner, which was mostly taken to the venue by the
patrons, they were entertained by melodic sounds from violinist and singer Ziah
and saxophonist Verlando Small, who set
the mood for an evening of elegance and grandeur!
Some patrons also opted to
have their food provided by one of three caterers – Tooksie Kay
Catering, Broken Plate and Whip It Up.
A highlight of the
gastronomic event, patrons were invited to wave their napkins to indicate the
start of dinner at about 6 p.m. Tantalising food was paired with wine and
champagne – a night of magic under the stars.
BUZZ caught up with one of the four hosts of the event, Imani Duncan-Price, who shared that Diner en Blanc Kingston is different from the typical party because “every single guest helps to create the magic.”
“They (patrons) are bringing
the food from home or ordering food from our caterers and they themselves
really make it special and unique,” she said.
“When we all come together
and set up, everyone feels they actually have a say and a part in DEB
Kingston.”
She also said that having
the background of the event in some of the most beautiful locations in Jamaica
and finding local talents to entertain guests add to the elegance and style of
Diner en Blanc.
Table and group leader
Reshma Vaswani told BUZZ that Diner en Blanc is about friendship, togetherness,
creativity and making the event your own.
“You have to make your table look boasty, so some people bring their finest Chinaware and cutlery while others go for a simpler look, and it’s amazing to see how people are so diverse,” she said.
See more highlights from Diner en Blanc Kingston in the gallery below.
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Her table enjoyed meals from
Tooksie Kay Catering and the table décor was provided by her company, Every
Frilly Thing.
At about 8 p.m., guests lit
up the night with sparklers to signify the end of the meal. DJ Narity and
Bloodline Franco then kept the partygoers on their feet with crowd-favourite
musical selections, as they mingled and danced the night away under the stars.
With its genesis in Paris, France, Diner en Blanc is a 30-year-old tradition that is celebrated across six continents and the Caribbean.
— Written by Sabriena Simpson
