Sunday 15 September 2013

Baileys Chocolate Luxe with Stylist Magazine

On Wednesday evening, I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the Baileys Chocolate Luxe pop-up in Covent Garden with Stylist Magazine.

Touted as... 'an immersive, multi-sensory experience inspired by the pleasure of chocolate. Bar Chocolat will see handpicked visionaries Bompas & Parr, Tabitha Denholm, Petra Storrs, Amelia Rope, Lou Hayter and Blanch & Shock join forces to create a sensory journey in taste.' So yeah, I was pretty excited. I think the only thing I love more than clothes is food, and my favourite food is chocolate. So DUH. Match made in heaven.

We arrived on a very rainy evening (gets dark early nowadays doesn't it...) and arrived to the most beautiful entrance hall where we were greeted with some interesting artwork inspired by the taste of Baileys (need that job). This bit was accompanied by teeny squares of delicious salted, mint, tangerine or coffee chocolate...and off we went to a room holding this huge wardrobe-meets-cupboard Rococo style dresser, and upon opening the doors, got overwhelmed by a cocoa steam. See where this is going? CHOCOLATE.

Next up was a film installation thing which was great (I think), but I was thirsty, starving and had spied that the next room was the bar so my mind was ramblin'...



We sat at a huge banquet table with fifteen people on either side, to a box of ice topped with various seafood inspired by the Irish heritage of Baileys and (finally) some wine. Yamma yamma. After a quick speech by the editor of Stylist Magazine, we tucked in.

The starter was delicious - but the main course was the showpiece... (watch the video!)



We then were invited into the bar to eat dessert and sample the Baileys Chocolat Luxe...but before starting that, we were instructed to lick our lips and stick on some 24 carat gold leaf. I was a little apprehensive about ruining my Smashbox pout but the rain had already got me so I went for it and though I'm not sure what it added to the taste, it certainly added a bit of theatre...



After we'd done that, dessert was served. No words necessary apart from - HALLO.



After that, we had a glass of the Chocolat Luxe - and I can confirm it was delicious. And it really does marble over ice. Here's Louis drinking it from the specially designed chalice, pretending to be Leonardo Di Caprio.



If you get chance, Bar Chocolat is open to the public until 16th September in Covent Garden and is AMAZEBALLS. Really fun experience, but probably not for the lactose intolerant. You can check out the exhibition for free too!