Create and Concerto host a very special client dinner at The Natural History Museum

The 150 guests were treated to a private viewing of The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition during the drinks reception, before moving through to the Hintze Hall for a five-course dinner with matching wines served by Create.

The dinner started with grilled and poached asparagus, parmesan biscotti, pickled onions and asparagus jelly. This was followed by Megrim Sole, chervil root purée, razor clams with wild mushrooms and scallions, chervil foam and beurre noisette.

The main course was milk-fed cannon of lamb and confit lamb shoulder, garlic leaves and sprouting broccoli, with spring swede, poached potatoes and lamb jus. Create’s two desserts explored each texture of pineapple with pineapple carpaccio, pineapple granite and pineapple air, followed by a seasonal rhubarb compote with spiced vanilla cream, macadamia nut brittle, rhubarb and ginger sorbet.

The matching wines were provided by Vintage Cellars. Flowers were provided by Pinstripes and Peonies and full production by Hawthorn. Fullcircle supplied the entertainment and Esprit the staffing.

“Create goes from strength to strength and continues in its ambition to be the [best] bespoke event caterer in London. Tonight is a fine example of the high-end, quality catering the team takes great pride in serving to its guests”.

Teresa-Anne Dunleavy, Concerto chief executive

For this dinner with a difference, create took inspiration from the celebrated traditional pub and designed a menu full of all-time pub greats.

Tobacco Dock became ‘The Agency Arms’ for one night only, a top secret pub serving pub grub with a twist. The venue was fully themed for the occasion, with decor and furnishings from Fullcircle. Entertainment completed the theme, filling the venue with the sounds of the East End. Staffing was provided by LOLA Staffing, whilst all lighting, sound and production was managed by Tobacco Dock’s in-house production company Visual Elements.

Guests began with a drinks reception, complete with cocktails by Liquid Chefs. Starters were served from food stalls, each themed around popular pub snacks. Visitors to the Fish Fountain were served tiny pint glasses of prawns, cockles and whelks, smoked mussels with vinegar shakers and East End favourite jellied eels. The Yorkshire Pudding Station offered freshly baked Yorkshires with a range of fillings. No pub grub is complete though without pie and mash – on this occasion mini beef cheek pies with mashed potato and parsley liquor sauce.

Dinner was called by a Pearly King & Queen, before guests were served a main course of oven-roasted fillet of sustainable haddock with a batter scrap crust, with Concerto newspaper cones of thrice-cooked chips, made from recent editions of The Concerto Post.

Dessert encouraged guests to get involved as they constructed their own DIY Autumn trifle, with toppings including pumpkin custard, homemade honeycomb and freeze-dried berries.

Following dinner guests moved into the Vaults, where they were entertained by a DJ long into the night. The evening ended as all great nights at the pub do – with a kebab on the way home. Guests were offered a create lamb kebab on leaving the venue, which was marinated in greek olive oil, oregano and garlic and served in flatbread with red cabbage tossed with lemon juice and almonds, tzatziki and watercress.