Come Sunday night everyone will be watching the Oscar Award Ceremony starting with the red carpet but finishing with the grand Governors Ball. With over 1,500 A-list celebrities attending, elite party planner Cheryl Cecchetto and the noted chef Wolfgang Puck have been busy for months planning an unforgettable evening for all those lucky enough to attend.
Working together they will convert the Hollywood & Highland Center into a dazzling party venue honoring the sight and sound of three great nightclub styles – deco, latin and swing. Whether looking at the elegant Greta Garbo in the 1926 production of The Temptress or admiring the sparkling talent of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1936 hit Swing Time, Cecchetto and Puck have found their perfect inspiration in Hollywood’s many great musicals.
Using a multicolored palette, the centerpiece of the grand ballroom will be a towering palm tree a la Copacabana with a glittering trunk sparkling with thousands of Swarovski crystals. Its large leaves will radiate out over the guests’ heads. Truly Cecil B. Demille would be impressed.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Cecchetto has designed staff uniforms that echo the elegance of Hollywood’s golden era from an adaptation of Esther Williams’ floating swimwear to Clark Gable’s sauve evening attire.
Not to be outdone, Puck and Chef Partner Matt Bencivenga have designed a stunning menu that will include 1,800 pounds of dover sole, 1,200 Kumamoto oysters, 1,000 fresh lobsters, 500 pounds of smoked salmon, 40 pounds of caviar, 10 pounds of black truffles and 6 Spanish hams! Now that’s a feast.
Yet that’s not all – famed Pastry Chef Sherry Yard will offer petite macarons, mini-cupcakes, dark chocolate lollipops crusted with candied ginger, layered lemon cheesecake and mini chocolate Oscar statues dusted with 24 carat gold.Wow – now that’s glamour!
But no Hollywood party is complete without cocktails and Moet et Chandon will offer two signature beverages along with glasses of their excellent Gold Award Season Imperial Champagne: The Moet Starlet and Moet’s Silver Screen Punch.
All toll over 9,000 glasses will be served. But have no fear if you haven’t received your invitation, you can still enjoy the evening by downloading the “Oscar Backstage Pass” on your iPhone which takes you live to the Governor’s Ball and by mixing your own gala cocktails right a home: here’s the recipes! Enjoy and may the best film win!
The Moet Starlet
4 Mint Leaves
3/4 ounce Silver Tequila
1/2 ounce Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 ounce Simple Sugar Syrup
1/2 ounce Lime Juice
3 ounces Moët & Chandon Champagne
1 Starfruit, Sliced
In a cocktail shaker, combine simple syrup, lime juice, and mint leaves. Use a muddler or a wooden spoon to crush the mint leaves. Add tequila and elderflower liqueur and fill shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into a glass and top with Moet et Chandon Champagne. Garnish with starfruit.
Moet’s Silver Screen Punch
1 (6 ounce) Can Lemonade Concentrate, Partially Thawed
8 ounces Pineapple Juice
1 cup Frozen Strawberries
1/2 teaspoon Grated Ginger
1 cup Belvedere Vodka
1 bottle Moet & Chandon Champagne
1 Pineapple, Cut into Rings and Frozen
In a blender, combine lemonade concetrate, pineapple juice, strawberries and ginger. Blend until smooth. Pour into a punch bowl. Add vodka and stir until combines. Juse before serving, pour in Moet et Chandon Champagne. Add frozen pineapple rings.
Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011