British chef Heston Blumenthal has added another layer to the dining experience at his Michelin-starred restaurant by creating a virtual candy store meant to whet his guests’ appetites before their big meal.
During the two-month lull between the time guests make their reservations and their dinner — the average wait time at The Fat Duck in Bray, outside of London — diners will be sent another invitation to tour a virtual sweet shop that will feature elements of their upcoming meal.
The aim of the invite, explains Blumenthal in a Vimeo video, is to inspire the kind of childlike excitement and wonderment kids experience in a candy store but directed toward the Michelin-starred meal that awaits them.
The animated video engages all the senses with sounds of the sea set to a dream-like sequence of whimsical images, and is also inspired by a special scent developed specifically with a perfumer to mimic the scent of a sweet shop.
Only diners with reservations will be privy to the entire video — and even then can only be watched three times. For a peek inside the world of sweets à la Blumenthal, watch below. The video was produced by creative Manchester-based studio The Neighbourhood.
