We like to get things right at Zafferano so when Cameron Mackintosh asked us to throw the launch party for Miss Saigon, we sent a chef on a culinary tour of Vietnam. Her brief: to come back with an authentic menu. She did.
So when a thousand guests, celebrities and cast members stepped onto the fabulous river terrace of Somerset House, they found themselves entering a vibrant Vietnamese street food market. French-Oriental fusion surprises included shrimp and green mango summer rice paper rolls; mini bahn mi baguettes with a kick of chilli, mint and coriander; and Pad Thai woked to order for noodle-lovers James Cordon, Graham Norton and Julian Fellowes. Then there was good ol’ G.I. food with a twist, served by the obligatory girls in star-spangled bikinis: salt beef and cornbread croquettes; squash and black bean chimichanga with green tomato relish; southern fried chicken with slaw. A surprise firework display over the Thames rounded off the evening, orchestrated to the music of Miss Saigon. And then the heavens opened. Guests absolutely loved the street market; it was really buzzing, said Zafferano’s Director of Events Jo Moody who chose not to wear a star-spangled bikini for the occasion. Maybe next time, Jo.
Photography by Stephanie Wolff