Sommelier Honey Spencer has joined forces with Pidgin’s former head chef, Elizabeth Haigh, on a series of pop-up dinners at Narroway Studio in Hackney.
Taking place between 6-8 December, Haigh will be whipping up a decadent five-course “modern” Christmas feast paired with small batch “suitcase wines” from around the world chosen by Spencer, including drops from Austria’s Gut Oggau and grower Champagne Charles Dufour.
Menu highlights include buttermilk ramen chicken with caviar, miso mayo and taré sauce; pigeon, duck and goose pithivier with coffee roasted carrots and smoked XO sprout tops; and coconut and cinnamon s’mores with kaya jam.
“I’m so excited about this upcoming collaboration. I’ve been a big admirer of Honey’s work for a long time, and I love every one of her wine recommendations, so I know we are in for a treat with the wine pairings for our menu,” said Haigh.
The pop-up has been organised through Spencer’s ‘Bastarda’ concept, which aims to unite creative minds in the food, wine and art worlds on unique projects.
With space for 30 guests, the pop-up will take place at Narroway Studio in Hackney, a creative food space and photography studio run by photographer Issy Croker, stylist Emily Ezekiel, and food writer Anna Jones.
Dishes will be served on handmade crockery made especially for the event by local ceramicist, SkandiHus.
Spencer will be selling gift boxes of the wines served at the dinner for guests to buy to take home. Tickets cost £125 and include a five-course dinner with matching wines.
Haigh, who helped James Ramsden’s Pidgin in Hackney to a Michelin star in 2016, is due to launch her first solo venture, Shibui, in early 2019, which will focus on wood-fired cooking blending European and Asian influences.
Most recently the head sommelier at Irish restaurant Nuala in Old Street, Spencer worked as a somm at René Redzepi’s Noma pop-up in Mexico.
