Hidden Feast: Blossoming in spring

Posted on 25 October, 2016

Last week, local photographer, stylist and blogger, Anisa Sabet of The Macadames, launched her charity dinner party series in the Canberra region.

Hidden Feast is more than just a long table dinner with friends, it’s an opportunity for passionate partners and guests to come together to enjoy a unique dining experience while raising money for charity.

Each year, the Neonatal Unit at Canberra Hospital takes in 500 babies from the southern New South Wales region who begin their lives with a fight. Over 100 will require assisted ventilation with equipment not available elsewhere. Many are pre-term; many have complications and spend longer periods of time in intensive care.

100% of the proceeds from Hidden Feast event will be donated to the NICU Foundation. This charity holds a special place in Anisa’s heart, having had her own daughter have an extended stay in NICU.

“Although it was a rough start, the beautiful nurses and doctors at NICU and TCH Canberra hospital made all the difference,” says Anisa.

The foundation is a local charity that raises money for medical equipment, research and Nurse education to help give the ACT and Southern NSW’s critically ill newborn babies, the best chance to lead healthy, normal lives. In addition to this, the foundation provides comforting equipment for parents and families including additional breast pumps, entertainment equipment where families can watch television in a relaxed environment and all the furniture to enable a parent’s overnight stay.

These are all the simple things that can make such a difficult time a little bit easier. For more information on the foundation, please see the Hidden Feast website.

As with all Hidden Feasts, the location of the venue is a total surprise. Guests met Anisa in the CBD to pop on the bus and be whisked away for a decadent night of wining and dining. Once snug on the bus, guests were treated to an espresso martini, kindly donated by Melbourne Martini.

This was the perfect way to commence the journey and get to know one another before disembarking at Poachers Pantry.

A short stroll away, set among the dappled light of the poplar trees, guests were greeted with a beautiful table dressed with Spring blooms and rustic foliage, put together by international stylist Lean Timms and florist Fionna Tammin of Peony N’ Pearl. New and old friends mingled by the fire, sipped gin and lavender martinis (by Juniper Bar & Cocktails) and got stuck into the delicious canapés created by the chef, Aaron Teece of Studio Neon. All photos pictured are taken by the very talented Lean Timms.

As the sun went down over the horizon and a full moon peeked out, guests were seated for the rest of the dinner (full menu below), with Wily Trout wine matched to each course. The night finished with dessert, tea and coffee (provided by local Braddon coffee shop, Barrio). As the night drew to an end, guests were farewelled with cookies made by Anisa, and whisked back to the city to continue the night or head home.

The event was very blessed to have a stellar group of sponsors of whom without, the event would not be possible. All of these partners offered goods, time and passionate support of Hidden Feast and the NICU Foundation. Hidden Feast is delighted we have many on board for the next feast being held February 18 2017.

Want to come to the next feast? Be quick to buy tickets as the last one sold out five weeks in advance!