Fortnum & Mason is embracing an Era of Discovery this Spring

Spring may be a time for starting afresh, but for Fortnum & Mason it’s also a time for exploring new interests and venturing into the unknown. The next series of events, running from March through till May in the Food & Drink Studio, highlights lesser known ingredients and stories from around the world; whilst 3’6 cocktail bar plays host to the one of the world’s best bars.

With the theme of discovery at its core, the programme will include a series of unique opportunities to indulge niche interests or engage with subjects that don’t typically make headlines in the world of food and drink. From an illuminating evening with Magic Breakfast on a day in the life of a child through food, to an insight behind the scenes of the country’s best recipe books, each event will bring to the fore an unsung hero or new story.

Key upcoming events include:

IN THE DIAMOND JUBILEE TEA SALON WITH - Afternoon tea with Fortnum & Mason

20th March, 11.00am - 8.00pm, £80

Served every day in the timeless Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, the English Garden Afternoon Tea will allow guests to feast on London’s favourite afternoon tea while surrounded by larger than life daffodils, daisies and poppies, with each beautiful botanical handmade from delicate paper. Reflecting the new season, the tea salon’s fresh look will complement the newest menu which will be filled with an array of colourful patisserie, both sweet and savoury.

The limited edition afternoon tea celebrates the new season through inventive takes on quintessential British flavours. The menu begins with elegant finger sandwiches of Coronation chicken; Cucumber with minted pea; Kames Bay smoked trout with paprika cream cheese; Suffolk cured ham with English mustard; and Cotswold Legbar egg mayonnaise. Freshly baked scones will follow, served with Fortnum's strawberry preserve, lemon curd, and a Somerset clotted cream.

The intricate cakes and patisserie pay tribute to the native flora from English gardens, with delicate Rose éclairs; Chocolate and meadowsweet ganache; Rhubarb and vanilla mousse; Blueberry cheesecake; and Lemon and raspberry loaf. For those with less of a sweet tooth, the innovative Savoury Menu is the perfect alternative - a showcase in afternoon tea artistry with elevated savoury pastries.

IN THE STUDIO WITH - Seasonal Sunday Shopping with Kathy Slack

7th April, 12th May & 9th June, 11.00am - 2.00pm, £45

Cook, author and veg grower Kathy Slack invites you to wander through Fortnum's an hour before it opens to pick up her favourite seasonal items from our shelves, before heading to the Food & Drink Studio on the 3rd Floor to discover what can be made with them. Guests will be given the opportunity to taste these hidden gems, both in their pure form and brought together as part of a seasonal sit-down lunch.

IN THE STUDIO WITH - Recipes behind the scenes, with Kitty Coles

19th April, 6:30pm - 9:00pm, £45

Kitty Coles has been a food and prop stylist, recipe developer and ghost writer for many years. Her career has taken her behind the scenes of some of the country’s best cookbooks and allowed her to work with famous industry names. Now she has written a cookbook in her own right, Make More with Less. She joins Fortnum’s for a fascinating evening delving into the lesser known aspects of the recipe development world.

COCKTAIL EVENING - Ago Perrone & Connaught Bar: 3’6 bar takeover

Wednesday 10th April, 7.00pm - 9:00pm, from £36

Indulge in an evening of cocktail exploration at 3’6, Fortnum’s third floor bar and with cutting edge cocktails and exclusive art exhibition from esteemed photographer, Allan Schaller rotating art exhibition. Led by the esteemed Ago Perrone, a maestro of mixology who has transformed the Connaught Bar into a space of refined taste and sent it soaring to Number 5 in the World’s 50 Best Bars, the evening will see titans of London’s bar scene come together for a special, one-off event. Together, the bar’s mixology teams will collaborate to curate a trio of cocktails, promising a thrilling mix of flights and a memorable fusion of cocktail artistry and camaraderie.

IN CONVERSATION WITH - Hidden Hunger: The day in the life of a child through food

Friday 30th April 6:30pm - 8:00pm, £20

Magic Breakfast's Hidden Hunger report is the most comprehensive map of UK breakfast provision conducted to date, with data from over 5,500 schools across all four nations. The report reveals that 69% of UK schools have either no provision or barriers to access. Starting with breakfast then continuing through the day, our panel examine the day in the life of a child through food then discuss what great work is being done to turn things around.

For more information please contact joshua@gemmabellandcompany.com