Here are the food and drinks that are going to be served at BAFTA 2018

The EE British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs ) will be held at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, taking place on Sunday 18 February 2018.

Having presented the Awards 12 times previously, Stephen Fry will be stepping down as the host of the ceremony, and in his place will stand Joanna Lumley, who recently made waves in the world of wine co-hosting fizz documentary Absolutely Champers last December.

But while most thespians are distracted by the glitz and glamour of the awards themselves, the drinks business knows the real action at BAFTA’s biggest party of the year is in the kitchen.

This year, the menu has been curated by BAFTA’s own head chef Anton Manganaro and Nigel Boschetti of Grosvenor House fame. This year’s dishes are lighter than previous versions, and even feature a vegan starter for the first time in the awards’ 71-year-history.

BAFTA held its own pre-party for media foodies on Wednesday 23 January, offering a rare insight into the partnerships with Academy nurtures with food and drinks labels around the world.

Keep scrolling to see what’s on the menu at the hottest dinner party in town this year.

The reception

This year’s event will be bigger than ever, held at the Royal Albert Hall, and Rémy Martin — BAFTA’s official spirits partner — will take the lead on the aperitif front with a classy selection of cognac and tonic mixers.

Guests will also be welcomed with Tattinger Champagne, which has held ties with the British film industry through BAFTA for nearly two decades.

Grosvenor House has had a long-standing relationship with the awards, which has spanned over 50 years. As such the JW Marriott hotel, which often hosted the awards dinner itself in the part, will be home to the exclusive afterparty.

Starter

Celeriac cream and apple jelly (Photo: BAFTA/Thomas Alexander)

This year’s menu includes a celeriac cream and apple jelly — the first vegan course to ever grace the tables at BAFTA’s annual awards ceremony.

This year marks a notable departure from 2017’s meat and fish-fuelled feast, which consisted of a Cornish crab salad starter and venison wellington with buttered swede.

“We usually go with a vegetarian starter,” Grosvenor House Head Chef Nigel Boschetti told db, “but this is something new for us.”

Grosvenor House Head Chef Nigel Boschetti.

Veganism has certainly grown in popularity in the on-trade over the past months. Earlier this year London’s first all-vegan pub, the Spread Eagle, launched in East London’s Homerton area, while a number of cocktail bars and restaurants have introduced plant-based menus for those undertaking a meat-free month.

Asked why the team chose 2018 to showcase vegan dishes for the first time, Boschetti said the kitchen team have always strived to “make sure everyone is catered for and enjoys themselves at the Awards.

“We wouldn’t say we get caught up in fads or trends when it comes to our menus,” he added, “but as a kitchen we always want to try something new, and a vegan starter seemed like a good place to begin.”

Main course

Lamb two ways (Photo: BAFTA/Thomas Alexander)

Thankfully for the carnivores, BAFTA won’t be an entirely vegan-friendly affair. The main course will follow the tradition of the hundreds of corporate and celebrity awards ceremonies which take place in London each year — a lamb cutlet and slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, roast garlic and a thyme jus, potato gratin, kale, and heritage carrots.

The plant-based option will be sweet potato with pan-fried bok choi, a ginger and coriander parcel, coconut, mango and chilli salsa, and basil sauce.

The wines

Villa Maria is celebrating 10 years with BAFTA.

BAFTA’s wine experts know what they like, and like what they know. As such, the film academy has forged loyal partnerships with two wineries over the past two decades; Champagne house Tattinger, and Marlborough wine specialist Villa Maria.

Tattinger, now on its 16th year partnering with the Academy, will supply its Brut Réserve NV for guests at the reception, but the New World winery will take over at the dinner table. Villa Maria, which is located on  is celebrating its 10th anniversary of taking care of the drinks list at the awards dinner.

Catering for vegans, vegetarians and carnivores requires a versatile duo of wines, so its no surprise that both Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2017 and Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir from 2016 —sourced from a number of vineyards in the Awatere and Wairau Valleys of Marlborough — will both be on the list.

Dessert

76% Supermilk Nicaragua Chuno pebble (Photo: BAFTA/Thomas Alexander)

Tattinger, Remy Martin and Villa Maria are not the only household names which have struck a deal with BAFTA. Luxury chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat has also partnered with the academy for many years, and will provide the cocoa for this year’s dessert course; a “chocolate pebble”; made with rare trinitario chuno cocoa beans grown in Nicaragua, served with a sesame and nigella seed brittle, and salted caramel chocolate ganache. For afters, coffee will be provided by George Clooney-endorsed coffee-maker Nespresso, while the truffles are also the charge of Hotel Chocolat.