On 4 and 5 December, Tesco will host a Christmas dinner like no other, taking guests on an immersive culinary journey through the past 100 years of festive celebrations.
Starting in 1919, the year Tesco founder, Jack Cohen, set up his Hackney market stall, diners will travel through time, getting a taste of Christmases past, present and future through dishes all made using the festive food selection available at Tesco this Christmas. Diners will be served up a century’s worth of Christmas food and drink in one decadent, decade-hopping menu – through the Art Deco era, the swinging sixties, to the present day and beyond.
Held in partnership with renowned ‘dining adventurers’, Flavourology, diners will enjoy an 11-course tasting menu that celebrates key moments in time and iconic Christmas dishes of past decades. The feasting menu was conceptualised by food historian, Tasha Marks, and reimagined for present day diners by Tesco and Flavourology chefs.
Guests will enter the venue, a former 1900s police station in Covent Garden, and receive a welcome drink inspired by the era to sip on as they journey back in time at the ‘Tesco Feast of the Century.’ Once seated, diners will then travel through each decade – just like Joel, the delivery driver in this year’s Tesco Christmas advert – via a heady mix of swirling projections, music and light, guided by time-travelling hosts. Each new course will signify the passing of time, and as each one is served, the environment the diners are in will change, giving guests a truly immersive experience.
The first 10 courses will reimagine what people of each decade from the past 100 years would have enjoyed around the Christmas dinner table; from a 1930s festive ham terrine, to a 70s prawn cocktail with a modern twist and an update on the 80s drunken cheese fondue.
The final course, the 11th, will celebrate the dish of Christmas future. Invented by – and informed by the insights of – the Tesco Product Development Chefs. This dish also takes inspiration from Marks’ analysis of trends over the past 100 years, to predict what Christmas dinners of the future could look like.
Fittingly, the feast costs £19.19 – taking inspiration from the year Tesco was founded – and all proceeds will go to charity.
Tasha Marks, food historian, said: “Food has always been central to our Christmas celebrations, so it was fascinating to take a deep dive into the trends that have influenced our festive feasts over the past 100 years. From beef, to turkey, Port to Prosecco – some of our tastes may have changed, but decadence, delicious food and a touch of luxury have always been at the heart of our Christmas menus. Based on this fact alone, you can be sure that the Tesco Feast of the Century will deliver a festive night to remember!”
Martyn Lee, Executive Chef, Product Development, for Tesco said: “Tesco has been delivering Christmas for 100 years, so we felt that putting on a feast of this kind was a fitting way to celebrate and the perfect way to showcase our fantastic festive foods this year. We follow trends and changing tastes closely to ensure we deliver the perfect Christmas for all the nation and we’ve worked hard with Tasha and Flavourology to craft a truly unforgettable experience. The Tesco Feast of the Century will be a celebration of festive food and its important role in the nation’s celebrations at Christmastime.”
The ‘Tesco Feast of the Century’ will take place on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 December between 6.30pm and 11pm, at 5 Great Newport St, Covent Garden, London WC2H 7JB.
Tickets are available via Design My Night
