The concept of having dinner suspended metres above ground seemed like something out of a Jules Verne novel until Maltese chef Marvin Gauci brought it to our islands for the first time just over a year ago.
Shooting straight up to number one on Malta’s Trip Advisor after its August 2016 launch, it’s little wonder that the Dinner in the Sky concept has been popular for over 10 years and is currently available in 50 countries. While last year’s Dinner in the Sky brought lucky patrons breathtaking views of Valletta, this year sees people making the most of the watercolour-worthy sunset at Għajn Tuffieħa.
Of course, the luxury experience doesn’t just start at 40 metres of height: in order to make sure you’re floating on air before you’ve even been strapped into your seat, waiters walk you over to a white marquee where you’re served a complimentary glass of champagne to get your evening started on the right foot while filling in a health and safety form. Once you’ve settled in and relaxed, you’re walked over to the 22-seater table and shown to your chair.
Something that people always ask is where the cooking itself takes place and if the chef just simply unveils previously prepared plates; however, thanks to a cooking island in the middle of the chair and table structure, you’re able to get a bird’s eye view of chef Marvin working away at cooking each delicious dish right in front of you.
Despite the fact that the thought of being in the air for an hour-and-a-half might be disconcerting to some, we were strapped in so securely and our front table was laid out so beautifully that if it weren’t for the amazing sunset before us, you wouldn’t be able to tell you were floating so gloriously above ground.
Served with the kind of care and attention to detail which have made Tarragon, Caviar & Bull and Buddhamann the go-to places for many an anniversary and special occasion, the free flowing wine paired beautifully with the menu inspired by the four elements: earth, fire, wind and water.
While the menu changes according to seasonality and all tastes and dietary requirements are catered for if the chefs are given an advance heads-up, you’d be hard pressed to find better quality ingredients than what was offered to us.
Indeed, after enjoying a ‘007 James Bond Spherification’, which was nothing short of a molecular masterpiece, we were served Angus beef nestled in crisp filo pastry with a sweet edge thanks to the marinade of red peppers it came with. The savoury butternut squash soup we had after wasn’t remotely cloying in spite of the oppressive Maltese summer heat: in fact, it really sat well with the previous two items we had sampled.
Right before we had embarked on our journey into the sky, a waiter had come around with a form for us to be able to choose which main course we fancied and from the mouthwatering options that were on offer, I ended up plumping for the fresh salmon with wild asparagus emulsion and an oyster crème fraiche.
I harboured absolutely no regrets when the beautifully served dish was delivered to me and in fact, it was my favourite offering of the night. Of course, no meal would be complete without pudding and our sweet nirvana came in the form of a to die for trio of chocolate mousses accompanied by a sinful dark cookie crumble and a homemade salted caramel rice crisp croquant.
As anyone who has met him will tell you, Gauci is nothing if not a showman: while upbeat music was piped out throughout the evening, the dinner literally took on a whole new light when for a few short minutes it turned into a fully-fledged disco and Mr Gauci took out some flashing LED sunglasses. Not only did it give the evening a final surprise twist but everyone got off the floating platform feeling upbeat and energised.
Dinner in the Sky truly is a one-of-a-kind experience for all those who want to try something new in top-notch dining. Not only do we have beautiful photos and memories from our Icarian experience but with an ever-changing menu, you can experience the unforgettable over and over again without getting bored.
With reportedly four Dinner in the Sky marriage proposals already under Mr Gauci’s belt, I’m pretty sure that the coming year will see many more!