After announcing earlier this year that The Fat Duck was to relocate to Melbourne, a date for the opening has been announced as the 3rd February 2015.
Opening in the renowned Crown Tower Resorts a date for reservations has also been confirmed and lines are to open from the 8th October until the 26th October 2014.
Speaking about the move Heston Blumenthal said: “Australia’s response to the news that The Fat Duck would make Melbourne its home for six months has been absolutely overwhelming. I am utterly humbled by the reception”.
Doors to the restaurant in its current location in Bray will close in December for the holidays as they usually do, only to reopen two months later to the southern hemisphere’s warm February sun and the heady urban buzz of Melbourne. Food enthusiasts from continents afar will find one of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants on their doorstep, with Heston’s iconic dishes such as “Sound of the Sea”, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and Snail Porridge right at their fingertips.
There is one addition to The Fat Duck that will be exclusive to Melbourne and truly a once in a lifetime experience – a Chef’s Table. Multi-sensory dining becomes supersensory with the opportunity to get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse. For a limited time during The Fat Duck’s tenure, four guests per service will be seated in front of the pass, witnessing the kitchen’s inner workings and interacting directly with the chefs throughout service.
The support and eager interest that both Heston and The Fat Duck have received have been absolutely incredible, so in order to accommodate demand in the most equitable way, a ballot process will be utilised for all reservations.
Anyone – anywhere in the world – who would like to make a reservation at The Fat Duck in Melbourne will need to register for the ballot system. All available reservations for the restaurant’s entire six-month visit to the Crown Melbourne Resort, including reservations for the Chef’s Table, will be allocated through the ballot process. No further reservations will be added once successful applicants have been randomly selected and the ballot process is complete.
Everyone seeking a reservation at The Fat Duck Melbourne will be directed to the dedicated ballot website to register their entry.
Ballot entries will be accepted from 9:00am Monday 8th October through midnight Sunday 26th October 2014 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time). Multiple ballot entries by the same applicant will be excluded, so potential guests only need to register for the ballot once. After the registration period closes and all registered ballot entries are gathered, a draw by an impartial third party will indiscriminately select successful applicants. As the draw is made from the entire pool of ballot entries, “first come, first served” does not apply. Whether someone is the first or last to register their ballot entry during the open registration period will have absolutely no bearing on the outcome.
Following The Fat Duck’s return home to the UK late September of 2015, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will take up residence within Crown Melbourne Resort permanently, becoming the only restaurant the chef has in his portfolio outside of the UK. It joins ranks with The Fat Duck, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal located in London, The Hinds Head, The Crown at Bray, and The Perfectionists’ Café.
