The Waldorf Project: A Party With Muskmelons And Really Good California Wine

We are excited about what's cooking in London this week. Starting today, performance artist Sean Rogg is creating a dining experience intended to engage and connect the senses through food, drink, dance, sound and the environment. The event, called the Waldorf Project, is being led by food designers, chefs, a choreographer, a sommelier, a product designer and a sound designer, all under the direction of Rogg.

The first chapter, Muskmelon, is based on the ancient Japanese tradition of gift-giving. In Japan, it is customary to give and receive gifts throughout adult life. The most valuable and sought after gift is muskmelon, a species of melon that includes honeydew, crenshaw and casaba. Traditionally, carefully farmed melons are grown in oil-fired glasshouses on bushes that have been pruned to allow for only one melon to grow on each vine. The best melons are selected and sold for hundreds of dollars. The melons are also massaged daily to encourage the skin to crack and heal releasing sugars, which raises the sweetness levels significantly. The most valuable melons are flawless spheres that taste like the perfect fruit. We've heard of massaging Wagyu, but massaging melon? The Japanese are really onto something here...

Rogg and the team will also present vintage California wines from Sanford and Benedict's prior owners. There will be Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dating back to 1993, including arguably the best two vintages of the last 20 years: 1994 and 1997. Four of the wines are special collaborations with Au Bon Climat that have never been released in the market.

So that's massaged melons worth hundreds of dollars, and previously unreleased bottles of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sounds like our type of soirée.

The first chapter will run for five nights from October 10th–14th with only 40 guests per night. Tickets range from $192 to $336. For tickets click here.

The event is taking place at the Netil House in London.

1 Westgate Street Hackney, London E8 3RL