The world’s most extravagant food and wine matching dinner

I was entertained by reports in the papers today about last night’s Epicurean Masters of the World Gala Dinner which took place at Bangkok's Lebua hotel and cost the guests roughly £13,000 ($25,000) a head. (Part of the proceeds going to charity the organisers have been at pains to stress.)

The meal was cooked by six Michelin three starred chefs including Antoine Westermann of Buerehisel in Strasbourg, Marc Meneau of L’Esperance in Vezelay,  Annie Feolde of Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence and Alain Soliveres of Taillevent in Paris - all obviously keen to outdo each other in producing the ultimate dish to pair with such rare and expensive gems as 1985 Romanée Conti, 1959 Mouton Rothschild and 1967 Yquem.

What isn’t recorded is how the participants actually managed to get through that much food and drink. There were three main meat courses alone which makes you wonder how much they appreciated the 1955 Latour that was served with a dish of veal cheeks and truffles (course number 10), almost certainly accompanied by some dark sticky reduction. Well matched the menu may have been. Balanced it certainly wasn't.

If you’re sitting on a large city bonus you don’t know what to do with, similarly lavish events and holidays are on offer from the company who organised the dinner, Select Escapes - Tel: +44 (0)20 7737 1880.

The menu

Crème brûlée of foie gras with Tonga beans
1990 Louis Roederer Cristal
Alain Soliveres, Taillevent

Tartar of Kobe beef with Imperial Beluga caviar and Belon oysters
1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil
Antoine Westermann, Le Buerhiesel

Mousseline of pattes rouges crayfish with morel mushroom infusion
2000 Corton-Charlemagne, Domaine Jean François Coche-Dury
Alain Soliveres

Tarte Fine with scallops and black truffle
1996 Le Montrachet, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Antoine Westermann

Lobster Osso Buco
1985 Romanée-Conti, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Jean-Michel Lorain, La Cote Saint Jacques, Joigny

Ravioli with guinea fowl and burrata cheese, with a veal and truffle sauce
1961 Château Palmer
Annie Feolde, Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence

Saddle of lamb "Léonel"
1959 Château Mouton Rothschild
Marc Meneau, L’Esperance, Vézelay

Sorbet "Dom Pérignon"

Supreme of pigeon en croute with ceps mushroom sauce and cipollotti
1961 Château Haut-Brion
Heinz Winkler, Heinz Winkler, Aschau

Veal cheeks with Perigord truffles
1955 Château Latour
Heinz Winkler

Imperial gingerbread pyramid with caramel and salted butter ice-cream
1967 Château d'Yquem
Jean-Michel Lorain