It was nothing short of an absolute pleasure to attend the most spectacular summer soirée, hosted by the House of Dior and the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel—in celebration of the life and legend of hâute couturier Christian Dior, and three exquisite Dior Beauty fragrances from La Collection Privée.
With a carefully curated masterpiece of a menu that paid homage to the fêted French fashion designer’s historical heritage and gastronomic preferences, and a perfect pairing of pours to complement the Mediterranean coastal cuisine’s fresh flavors, with nods to its most luxurious locales (while mindfully incorporating the top notes of each fabulous fragrance) this seasonal supper was truly a feast for (all of ) the senses.
The al fresco affair was hosted in the hotel’s private garden, kicking off with a welcome glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc as guests entered the peaceful patio of the storied and stuccoed pink palace, taking seats at a beautiful banquet table dressed with an elegant spray of pink florals and twinkling tea lights.
Dior’s lovely fragrance ambassador guided us along an olfactory journey, punctuated with a dreamy description of each of the three scents—DIORIVIERIA, EDEN-ROC, and JASMIN DES ANGES—with a spritz for each of us, illustrating the timeless tales of Christian Dior’s remarkable life as a purveyor of sartorial elegance, and his indelible imprint on contemporary couture—while the hotel’s cherished chefs elegantly described the flavors and ingredients of each course, and our sommelier explained the taste profile and purposeful pairing of each selected wine, making for a marvelous melange and merging of flavor and fragrance.
Keep scrolling to read more and watch highlights of this festive fête of fragrance below.
The Beverly Hills Hotel’s celebrated chefs prepared an exquisite culinary experience that commenced with a light and creamy chilled Vichyssoise (a summer soup blending potatoes, leeks and onion—originally imagined by the Head Chef of the Ritz Carlton in New York City, Louis Diat, in the early 20th century) accompanied by a truffle petit croque for decadent dipping.
Moving on to the next savory sensation—and perhaps my favorite flavor of the evening—a perfect petit choux (puff pastry) injected with lemon and chive-whipped crème fraîche, topped with a generous garnish of caviar and edible gold leaf—for the pinnacle of a presentation that was truly la pièce de résistance.
Next came a sweet summer salad of grilled peaches and goat cheese on a nest of arugula, drizzled with lavender honey and sprinkled with marcona almonds, paired with a zesty New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
For our entrée, we diners beheld a beautiful Branzino fillet, dotted with heirloom cherry tomatoes, zante currants, and pine nuts, in a lemon caper sauce. The hotel’s supreme sommelier selected a 2021 Clos de Lambrays from Morey-Saint-Denis.
Concluding the culinary coup was a traditional Tropézienne—individualized with spongy halves of brioche sandwiching juicy raspberries and rich crème pâtissière, topped with a light dusting of sugar. Equally moist and marvelous, with a swallow of sweet Sauternes —a robust dessert wine—from Chateau d’Yquem.
As a parting gift, each guest was gifted a generous full-size bottle of DIORIVIERA to keep and unbox at home—which you can also watch here.
Dressed for a Dîner en Blanc, wearing this lovely summer linen dress from Australian brand, Dissh, in the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel salle de bain.