Blakes Feast & The Atrium at Melbourne's Royal Botanical Gardens

blakes feast

Blakes Feast is Melbourne’s premier catering company, spearheaded by celebrity chef Andrew Blake. Scene-stealing food, attention to detail and a flexible, yet no-nonsense style are the hallmarks of Blakes Feast.

CEO of Blakes Feast, Neredah Blake gave everAFTER insight into creating the perfect summer menu as well as all the details of The Atrium at The Royal Botanical Gardens. Having joined forces with the team at Harry the Hirer, The Atrium will stand exclusively at Dog Flat in the gardens from December 6-22nd 2019.

A first of its kind in the Australian events landscape, The Atrium is a striking, temporary structure that commands wonder from every angle. It boasts a cathedral roof, glass panelling, panoramic views, 3-metre high walls, and a circular-shaped truss, all encased within a black powder-coated aluminium frame.

The Atrium's conservatory-like features, intricate detailing and sheer scale make it an awe-inspiring wedding venue. 
Blakes Feast have created bespoke menus featuring seasonal ingredients and curated beverage packages to fully complement the unique space. Their talented team of chefs is headed by Dylan Roberts, former head chef of Ezard.

 What inspired The Atrium? 

We noticed that a lot of beautiful weddings were taking place in greenhouses all over world. They seem to lend themselves to private functions. We did our research and came up with the cathedral shaped roof to differ it from your normal greenhouse.

Describe The Atrium’s layout and design. 

Impressive in its intricacies, the Atrium features a cathedral roof, glass panelling and circular-shaped truss, all encased within a black powder-coated aluminium frame. These conservatory-like features, combined with the sheer scale and space, make the Atrium stand tall as a stunning example of architectural, yet completely demountable, achievement.

What is Blake’s Feast point of difference? 

Our focus has and always will be on delivering impeccable food and service. We don’t get caught up in being event stylists as there are so many exceptional suppliers who do this, and therefore we stay focused on incredible dishes and hospitality.

What advice do you have for couples choosing their caterer? 

First impressions count, if it doesn’t feel right, then it probably won’t be.

Why a summer wedding?

You make the best of any season, however you can’t look past summer produce like zucchini flowers, heirloom tomatoes and figs.

Favourite summer dish?

From our summer menu, kingfish sashimi, avocado, pickled ginger gel, ponzu cucumber, puffed nori cracker. It has the perfect harmony of flavours and texture, light and fresh, perfect for those summer days. 

What are your tips for creating the perfect summer wedding menu? 

Keep it light, stay away from heavy braises and excessive amounts of carbs. We favour shared plates as it gives variation.

Take a visit to the local markets and see what’s in season, utilise the wonderful products available in summer, lots of herbs, tomatoes, fresh curd cheese, crabs, fresh prawns, stone fruits and figs.

Be progressive with building the flavours and level of heaviness with menus. Begin with light 1-2 bite canapés with plenty of punchy flavours. A well balanced entree like a carpaccio of fig, gorgonzola, burnt honey & shaved macadamia nut or a simple smoky caprese salad, yellow peaches & buratta gives plenty of scope to move into something a little heavier for main course. Really good quality free range/grass fed grilled meat over charcoal with chimichurri or whole grilled fish stuffed with myrtle leaves and lemon. The key here is to use well balanced acidic salads to cut through any fats in the protein element. We are loving shared desserts too. Plates down the table of grilled plums with fromage frais and pistachio cake, or a passionfruit Eton mess is always a crowd pleaser. 

www.blakesfeast.com.au