With just a few days left before the annual Vodacom Durban July, this greatest horse-racing event promises to offer yet another lavish hospitality experience especially for the food and gin lovers.
A VIP marquee dedicated to food and drinks called La Galleria Luxe Marquee has been introduced and promises guests that it will offer the finest in Italian cuisine, luxuriant lifestyle and liquid swill.
La Galleria is hosted by two establishments, The Gin Gallery which is on Durban’s Florida Road and Gemelli Cucina, an Italian restaurant based in Bryanston, Gauteng.
Spokesperson of the La Galleria, Bellinda Khojane said the marquee is all about having a great memorable time where guests will be kept fully entertained from the moment they step into the marquee.
“La Galleria is the birth child of two establishments that led to a one complete fine dining experience, one that is innovative and one of a kind in Durban. The partnership is beyond just the marquee but also the joint venture of like-minded business opportunities coming up in the near future, particularly tailored for the Durban market."
The marquee is only one aspect of the La Galleria brand. The brand objective, Khojane adds, is to offer an out of this world Italian culinary menu paired with a great gin offering at every opportunity.
"It’s a standalone brand that promises memorable experiences that tap into one’s senses. These are paired with only the most premium brands. This marquee therefore sets us apart from others that have been come to be known for the cameo appearances of the “who’s who” crowd but display very little value”, said Khojane.
She said aside from a mature and luxe gallery look and feel, one can expect an experience close to none.
“The marquee will be in the form of an all inclusive culinary master class that will showcase our Italian cuisine paired with a mixology session that will showcase our liquid swill. Even the entertainment throughout the day will be indicative of the mature tastes we bring to the table. Chef Theo has prepared an extensive menu which spans over a three course meal offering just in the master class."
Much later on in the evening, guests will be served the “Midnight Munchies” and there will be all day premium champagne by the glass, gin cocktails, premium whiskey, aperitifs and craft coffee.
"Most of our offering has specifically been curated specially for the VDJ, with our gin partners actually flying into Johannesburg to train our bar staff on the specific drink offerings, taking into consideration that the food and drinks will be married in taste on the day," says Khojane.
She added that VDJ has become synonymous with mostly fashion being a highlight. It is certainly about time other aspects of the day also share within the spotlight.
“Food and drink need to also form part of the full experience and this is where La Galleria’s comes in. We want our guests and others’ from other marquees to want to re-live the La Galleria experience many months after the VDJ. This is the true cursor of a successful brand exercise or event. We want La Galleria’s narrative to live both beyond just the marquee, although it is a great place to start”, she said.
If you want to be part of the La Galleria Experience the price is set at R4950 per person, all inclusive.
You can visit www.lagalleria.co.za for a more comprehensive listing of what is included in the offering and if you want to purchase a ticket.
The marquee capacity is 200 guests only and tickets sale ends on the 7th of July 2018.