The Fat Duck Melbourne opens doors at Crown

Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck opens its doors at Crown today. Source: News Limited

THERE’S a Golden Gaytime on the menu, a sculpture from MONA in the entrance and a James Halliday-approved wine list.

The Fat Duck has landed in Melbourne and has taken on some very Australian elements on its journey from Bray in the UK.

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Almost a year after Heston Blumenthal first announced he was fully relocating his Michelin-starred restaurant to Melbourne the first diners will walk through the door today for their 4.5 hour “gastronomic journey of history, nostalgia, emotion and memory”.

“I’m really nervous,” Heston said before the first service.

“I’m not nervous about us being able to physically deliver the product. I just want people to like it. Expectations can be a good and bad thing.”

Heston Blumenthal today at his new Fat Duck restaurant at Crown Towers. Picture: Nathan Dyer Source: News Corp Australia

A worker delivers supplies to The Fat Duck restaurant at Crown. Picture: Nathan Dyer Source: News Corp Australia

The Australian Fat Duck menu revealed for the first time today. Picture: Nathan Dyer Source: News Corp Australia

The room, which seats 50 diners, is darkly plush and opulent, with tan leather booth seating and tables for two overlooking the river. Terrariums filled with alien-like vegetal creatures fill the ledges, while a huge 8m by 2m “interactive jigsaw” featuring a caped Heston, and a Fat Duck fob watch that counts down to the last service on August 15 take up pride of place on the two walls.

“You wouldn’t know it’s a temporary restaurant, it’s kind of grand, but it’s relaxed,” Heston said.

“And the lighting at night, it’s the best lighting I’ve ever seen in a restaurant.”

The menu features all the iconic dishes that have been perfected over years, including the Sound of the Sea, the Mad Hatters Tea Party, the Hot and Iced Tea and begins with a nitro-poached Gin and Tonic or Campari and Soda, though all now sourced with Australian ingredients.

“They are all Fat Duck dishes, but tweaked to give it an Australian feel,” Heston said.

Those tweaks include a Larks Distillery whisky from Tasmania being included in the Whisky Gums, local seafood and seaweeds included on the Sound of the Sea, and that Gaytime included in the lolly bag.

“I want to hit the ground running. I’m also excited, because as a rule, my Australian experience at the Duck (in Bray) people come in (rubbing their hands with glee) and that’s just the best way for anyone to come into a restaurant.”

While Heston won’t be in the kitchen cooking, he will be present during service “just around, gliding on air, chatting, meeting guests”.

For the next 280 services, 14,000 people who were lucky to be drawn in the ballot that received almost 90,000 entries will each receive a piece of the jigsaw puzzle that will progressively be completed with the last piece going in on the last dinner service.

“I’d love to think the jigsaw went to MONA at the end,” Heston said.

“I haven’t asked David Walsh, but that would be such an honour.”

Heston Blumenthal tasting local products in Adelaide prior to the opening. Source: News Limited

The giant jigsaw puzzle made up of 19,500 pieces takes pride of place in the room design of the new Fat Duck in Melbourne. Picture: Heston Blumenthal Source: Supplied

Originally published as Menu revealed: Fat Duck opens its doors

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