As Relais & Chateaux celebrate their 60th anniversary this year, some of the most luxurious member hotels, castles and manors will be hosting a series of special events and dinners around the world.
The anniversary marks a milestone for the hotelier group, which now counts 520 members in 64 countries.
From now until the end of the year, properties across Ireland, Italy, Russia, the UK, Austria, Netherlands and France will be hosting special anniversary dinners that will include guest chefs and specially designed menus.
At the Buckland Manor in Buckland, England, for example, chef William Guthrie has designed a tasting menu for an anniversary dinner next month, that includes breast of wood pigeon, foie gras, apricot purée and muscat jelly; fillet of Wiltshire beef, watercress purée, roast artichoke and Madeira jus; and blueberry parfait with lemon curd and compote.
Relais & Chateaux members are often historic or heritage landmarks like castles or manors, set in some of the most bucolic areas in the world.
Hotels are admitted based on factors such as ‘charm’ and ‘character,’ while terroir, or ‘the taste of the land,’ is given high importance for restaurants.
Many of the hotel restaurants also boast Michelin-starred and award-winning chefs, such as Raymond Blanc of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford (two Michelin stars) and Lanshu Chen of Le Mout in Taiwan.
Chen was named Asia’s Best Female Chef by the influential Restaurant magazine.
Earlier this week, more than 60 Relais & Chateaux chefs from around the world convened at the Georges Blanc Parc & Spa in Vonnas, France for a celebratory lunch and dinner that included French classics like frog legs, Bresse chicken with morel mushrooms and crepes.
Relais & Chateaux, then Relais de Campagne, was born in 1954 when the owners of eight hotels between Paris and Nice united together under the slogan, “La Route du Bonheur” or “The Road to Happiness.”
For the full calendar of events, visit http://www.relaischateaux60.com/
