Breaking Bad – a Halloween party with a difference

Share to:

Our brief from top party planner 19 Events was to create an event with the freaky, geeky underworld vibe of TV drama Breaking Bad. We had just three weeks to put it together. The result was a little like Charlie & the Chocolate Factory crossed with Damien Hirst, ‘We totally pushed the boundaries’, says Zafferano’s Director of Events Joanna Moody. ‘The guests were blown away’. Curious

This was one of the most exciting, if surreal briefs we’ve ever had. First, a fake laboratory was created – all dry ice, ultra violet lights, vials and potions. Mad scientists in biohazard suits served ghoulish ‘Blue Sky’ cocktails in lab flasks (a heady combo of gin, lemon juice, blue curacao, sugar syrup, prosecco and Earl Grey smoke).

Jo Moody and her team scoured the internet for chemistry props: petri dishes, syringes, mini pipettes – all ingeniously presented with canapés. Little short rib bon-bons sat in miniature petri dishes of horseradish. Arancini balls came with mini pipettes filled with red pepper velouté. Individual syringes of gin and elderflower, or rum and raspberry were lined up to ‘pimp your prosecco’. You get the vibe.

As all Breaking Bad aficionados know, fried chicken plays a key part in the plot line. We created a replica ‘Los Pollos Hermano’ chicken and dude food counter, ‘which they fell upon’, laughs Jo. After one Blue Sky cocktail too many, you need something more substantial than a lab pipette…

Three hundred City professionals were, for one night, transported to the seamier side of Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was a one-off Halloween: ‘hugely theatrical, incredibly detailed,’ says Jo. ‘It’s great to do something extraordinary like this once in a while.’