A celebrity chef’s “crackers” menu of meat baubles and a gold carrot priced at £450 has returned for a second time – with one tiny difference.
Heston Blumenthal’s slightly “bonkers” menu is back.
The 59-year-old – who is said to be worth £52m – used to charge £395 per diner for the Christmas extravaganza menu.
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In 2024, though, he upped the price by £55.
But it seems Blumenthal is feeling the spirit of the season early as in 2025, the price remains the same – a rarity for the hospitality trade.
Or perhaps it’s a reflection of the menu, which is exactly the same as last year.
With a price tag that matches many families’ weekly budget, it’s an eye-watering bill.
But if you dine at lunchtime, there’s a slight discount with the ten-course meal costing £375 instead of its usual £450 per head charge.
There is one small change to the festive event.
Last year, it was only available from Wednesday to Sunday but this year, guests can also book on a Tuesday.
But for those looking at devouring a juicy turkey, this might not be the menu for you.
The experience starts with Christmas Tipples, including Snowballs, Bristol Cream and Bucks Fizz.
Aerated Beetroot with Horseradish Creamed is followed by Pine Tonic of Botanicals with Green Herbs, Pine, Smoked Cumin and Jerusalem Artichoke.
The first main is titled: ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’ and comes with Short Rib of Beef, Lardo di Colonnata, Dried Fruits, Gold Carrot and Sherry.
Breakfast Baubles, made from Truffle Egg, Smoked Salmon, Buttered Toast and Chicken Liver Parfait and Plum is up next.
And then Roast Scallop, paired with White Chocolate and Caviar offers an experience for the tastebuds.
Beetroot, Chestnuts, Brussel Sprouts, with Black Truffle and Umbles – called The King’s Venison (c.1066) is the penultimate course.
And to finish off, Cheese, Nuts and Port can be enjoyed with Botrytis Cinerea for “Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop”.
The triple Michelin Star eatery, located in Bray, near Maidenhead, Berkshire, has been run by Heston since 1995.
The “most spectacular and theatrical Christmas menu ever” will run from 18 November until 21 December.
To book a spot, people are encouraged to do so online – but they’ll need to be willing to foot the bill upfront.
When asked why the menu hasn’t changed, a representative from The Fat Duck told Need To Know: “Christmas is exactly the time when we want the traditional treats, a kind of culinary continuity.
“That’s part of the magic of Christmas.
“So, just as most families demand the same meal, with exactly the same components, every year, so here at The Fat Duck we serve up what has become our ‘traditional’ Christmas dinner.
“This is truly the best version of the Christmas menu we have ever produced.”
The Fat Duck founder, Heston Blumenthal OBE, said: “With its shared rituals, surprises, food focus and human connectivity, Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year.
“So as part of the celebrations for The Fat Duck’s 30th birthday, what better way to finish than with the perfect Christmas dinner.
“Yuletide is always incredibly inspiring for me and the team (believe it or not, we’re already working on the development this year’s hidden citrus Christmas puddings).
“It gives us the opportunity to combine creativity and theatre in a way that taps into the deep nostalgia everybody feels about the festive season.
“This year promises to be exceptional for The Fat Duck, with a venison dish in which you get to eat humble pie (and discover it’s delicious), golden carrots, breakfast baubles and the world’s most complex dessert.
“Nobody wants to miss out at Christmas and, at that time of year, tickets at the Duck go quick, so if you want to be part of the fun, I’d book sooner rather than later, even if Santa and snow seem a long way off.
“It’ll be crackers and, yes, there’ll be crackers.
“We can’t wait to see you there.”
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