AnOther looks to Fergus Henderson's lavish banquet taking place at Wilderness festival this weekend...
Who? Esteemed chef Fergus Henderson, will be taking residency at this year's Wilderness festival, hosting a lavish eurpoean banquet for festival-goers.
What? Henderson, founder of St. John and renowned for his "nose to tail" philsophy, is a self-confessed festival phobe but revealed to AnOther that he is very much looking forward to the Oxfordshire event. When asked about his fantasy dinner guests and menu, he responded "Audrey Hepburn and sea urchins". Henderson's banquet, taking place this Sunday, is one of three, 300-person, five-course communal feastings taking place on long tables under canopies; Valentine Warner and Yotam Ottolenghi will also feature.
Banquets – boasting plentiful food and wine, exotic recipes, lavish presentations, grand table layouts, glorious surroundings and marvellous entertainment – date back to ancient times. The Romans were particularly fond of them, favouring those involving gluttonous excess (sometimes exceeding 50 courses) and promiscuous behaviour. In the 16th century, a banquet was based on the medieval 'ceremony of the void' where guests would stand after dinner, and drink sweet wine and spices while the table was cleared or 'voided'. In the 17th century, the 'void' would be replaced with the French 'dessert' and guests would be encouraged to retire to the parlour.
"Henderson's banquet is one of three, 300-person, five-course communal feastings taking place on long tables under canopies"
Why? One of the most appealing festivals on this summer's roster, Wilderness prides itself in offering a wealth of experiences from musical performances, tented talks, midnight masked balls, horse-riding, wild swimming, boating and gastronomy. In addition to the banquets, Wilderness will also play host to Clerkenwell restaurant Moro with their Moroccan-style Moro Souk Tent and a selection of food talks, cooking classes and tasting sessions courtesy of Thyme.
Wilderness takes place in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire on August 10-12. Tickets are available here. For tickets to Fergus Henderson's banquet on Sunday lunchtime, click here.
Suggested reading: Read Fergus's Ham on Hay recipe here.
Text by Laura Bradley
