From open flames to truffle donuts: inside a Shannon Bennett-hosted lunch in Melbourne

As one of the top chefs in Australia, Shannon Bennett knows a thing or two about entertaining for a crowd. So when Stella Artois enlisted the chef — of Vue de Monde fame — to create the perfect group menu, it’s safe to say culinary sparks flew. 

With Stella Artois set to remain the naming rights sponsor of the Caulfield Cup for the second year in a row, the iconic Belgium beer company enlisted the help of Bennett to curate the menu for their upcoming marquee, open during the Caulfield Cup in October. Kicking off the celebrations in Melbourne on Wednesday, August 14, Stella Artois and Vue de Monde hosted an intimate dinner to mark the occasion. 

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Featuring a lavish display from Bennett and his team, guests were treated to everything from ‘snags’ on a miniature barbecue (made from fresh crab and prawns) to cheese-filled donuts wrapped in fresh truffles and gooey chocolate marshmallows cooked over an open flame. Every new dish, naturally, was accompanied by a freshly poured chalice of Stella Artois’ signature brew.  

Guests included actors Joel Jackson and Ben Mingay, as well as photographer Lee Oliveira and delicious editor  Kerrie McCallum. Bennett himself was working alongside his team in the kitchen, chatting to guests about every new dish and explaining the flavour combinations. With a focus on fresh, local produce, Bennett’s menu was packed with native Australian ingredients, with meat and seafood sourced from Victoria and Tasmania. 

While the final menu is yet to be announced, guests in the Stella Artois marquee on race day definitely won’t be left hungry — or disappointed. See below for more inside the exclusive event and for a closer look at Bennett’s exquisite dishes.