What’s big, blue, tastes divine and supports community mental health? The Big Blue Table!
On Sunday, October 22, businesses across the Hunter Valley are coming together to create the Big Blue Table fundraising event for Beyond Blue, set among the magnificent, sculptured gardens of Spicers Guesthouse outside Pokolbin.
Hosted by Beyond Blue Director and Hunter Valley local Johanna Griggs, guests will be treated to an incredible four-course menu, with matching wines, by Jayden Casinelli, Head Chef of the Guesthouse’s éRemo Restaurant. A host of éRemo’s suppliers and other local businesses are donating ingredients, both gourmet and humble, to the Big Blue Table, as well as an impressive array of luxury auction items and experiences.
"Very few people will travel through life without getting an insight into mental health and how it can impact people's lives every single day,” says Johanna.
"The Big Blue Table is a wonderful chance to get together with friends and the Hunter community in a magnificent setting with exceptional food and entertainment and start a discussion about mental health, or just learn more about what is being done to help people suffering.”
Money raised by the Big Blue Table will go to Beyond Blue’s 24/7 support service, which assists more than 300,000 people every year, but is funded entirely by donations, so every dollar will count.
Auction items are flooding in from local businesses, covering wellness experiences and products like Leif hand and body care made with native Australian ingredients, outdoor adventures and (unsurprisingly for the location) a host of age-worthy premium wines and private wine tastings.
Wine lovers at the Big Blue Table can get their hands on a Stay n’ Sip private wine experience or gift hamper, a half-day Hunter Valley wine tour for 10 people from Vineyard Shuffle, a Savannah Estate experience for six, or top selections from Glandore and Thomas wines and more.
Spicers Guesthouse is a modern country farmhouse with sandstone walls, lush gardens and pergolas spilling with vines over 40 acres of grounds and guests at the Big Blue Table will be served on long tables in a courtyard within a lovely, grassed area, surrounded by hedged gardens and stately trees, so hats will be a must to enjoy the Spring sunshine.
From 12pm on Sunday, October 22, guests will be welcomed with chilled sparkling wine and canapés on the Mount View Lawn, surrounded by the gentle sound of a harpist and gorgeous styling, flowers and signage, generously provided by The Event Artists and Couture Botanical.
As an added incentive, Spicers Guesthouse is offering attendees an exclusive 10% discount on accommodation for the night, to sleep in a luxurious Spicers bed and dine at éRemo for breakfast the following morning.
éRemo‘s modern Italian cuisine with a signature emphasis on locally sourced produce has seen the restaurant achieve a Chef’s Hat in the 2023 Australian Good Food Guide; Head Chef Jayden Casinelli has collaborated with local growers and suppliers for a generous selection of dishes to share across four courses, with matching wines from celebrated local wineries First Creek and Tyrrell’s.
