We’ve brought events to life in some of the country’s most celebrated spaces and venues. But there’s no doubt, it’s always fun to bring our Kalm Kitchen concepts to the Capital. One of our more recent discoveries is the refurbished Garden Museum in London. Here’s just a little on why we love it so much…

Where

Situated on the banks of the River Thames, the Garden Museum sits in the imposing shadows of Lambeth Palace and opposite the Houses of Parliament. It makes an astonishing setting for a chic, city wedding.

What

Entirely refurbished in 2017, from what was once a church, the space is now a shrine to all things garden-related. But not only that, its pop-up exhibition spaces provide the ideal backdrop for weddings, events and  all kinds of special occasions.

We love

Light floods down into the Dan Pearson-designed courtyard garden, which is surrounded by wooden pillars and planted with a mix of maidenhair ferns and black mondo grasses. The cafe, bar and museum are all covered in greenery, so it feels like a total haven away from the bustling city that surrounds it.

For more information on The Garden Museum, visit their website here. You can read more about Belinda and Dominic’s wedding hosted at The Garden Museum here.

We know you want the food at your celebration to have originality, impact, and loads of style. So, welcome to the grazing station – an all-new eating experience.

Think multiple layers laden with sweet sensations. For instance, macarons, mouthwatering brownies and freshly sliced seasonal fruit, paired with honeycomb-drizzled cheeses and meats. Then add in an array of various baked breads and crackers. ‘From a visual perspective, the concept of a grazing stall or station works so well, creating a dramatic centrepiece at any celebration,’ says Kalm Kitchen’s Jen Middlehurst. ‘But the real treat is coming up with amazing combinations of flavours and individual elements. The end result makes the most of seasonal ingredients and sublime sweet and savoury pairings.’

There’s no doubt, grazing tables add a spectacular look to your proceedings. And we promise your guests will be tempted to tuck in!

Would you like to talk to us about a grazing table or display for your wedding or special party? Get in touch at info@kalmkitchen.co.uk or call us on 01483 813360.

Credits… Wedding Planner: Kim Balasubramaniam {www.kimbalasubramaniam.com}. Photography: Flo Brooks Photography {www.flobrooksphotography.co.uk/}. Flowers: Blue Sky Flowers {www.blueskyflowers.co.uk}.

Developing new menus is an ever-evolving process at Kalm Kitchen. ‘It never starts and never stops, ‘ says James Middlehurst, Executive Chef at Kalm Kitchen. ‘We’re always bringing new ideas to the table. In the first place, the kitchen team will come up with concepts, and from there we’ll extensively test them. After that, we present them to front of house (very important),  take on their feedback and finesse them with the help of the whole company. In the end, we come up with dishes that we can all stand by, and that everyone believes in.’

From an initial list of anywhere around 50 contenders, the team whittle it down to a shortlist of around 25 dishes. And what makes for a successful menu which becomes a firm favourite at weddings? ‘The art is in finding the balance between taste, appearance and perfect delivery of the product,’ explains James. ‘The food should be fun, make people talk and leave a lasting memory.’ And the ultimate measure of success? ‘I like to hear the sound of wow as it gets delivered,’ he confides.

We asked James which are the plates he’s particularly proud to share from the latest collection…

Salmon 99er with beetroot crisp

‘This canapé is pure fun. Resembling the classic ice cream cone, you get a visual shot of salmon pink. We specifically designed it to give a punch of flavour. Fennel blossom and flowers give it a hit of aniseed, and the beetroot crisp provides a lovely crisp texture.’

Chicken liver parfait choux bun with pistachio

‘Taking a classic dessert concept, we create a superbly rich chicken liver parfait, which is cooked at a low temperature and packed with flavour, which comes from the addition of port, shallots and thyme. It’s all encapsulated in a bite-sized choux bun and finished with a nutty sprinkle of pistachios.’

Charred salmon with cauliflower panna cotta and watercress veloute

‘Well, visually this dish is stunning. We cook the salmon sous vide to keep it tender and almost rare all the way through. Then we char it for a lovely, smoky flavour. It’s served alongside our take on a savoury panna cotta on a watercress velouté which brings a peppery hit to the dish. Lastly, we like to add some Romesco, both charred and pickled, which brings acidity, and of course it looks stunning too.’

Lamb Nicoise and pickled walnuts with a caramelised onion puree

‘Nicoise is such a classic, but we’ve given it a modern spin. We take a fillet of lamb and wrap it in Nori, the umami flavour of this edible seaweed gives the dish a real complexity. The expected elements of a Nicoise are there – quail’s egg, Violetta potatoes, and a potato glass. But we also add some pickled walnuts. The end result is mature and complex.’

Seared venison with black pudding salsify, potato fondant and blackberry jus

‘We’ve balanced this rich, gamey meat with a sweet jus, and delicate salsify. The result is a lighter version of what you might consider a traditional game dish. It looks exceptionally stunning too.’

Bread and butter pudding with pineapple salsa, rum custard and coconut ice cream

‘A taste of pure nostalgia, we get lots of requests for bread and butter pudding. We’ve created a lighter version though using brioche and tropical flavours of coconut, pineapple and rum. A pineapple salsa adds a welcome sharpness to the dish.’