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Sports Relief Gala Dinner (Thomson Sport), Indigo O2

 

Summary

 

I was invited by David Higgins (MD of Sport Abroad) to attend the Gala Dinner – I have been travelling with them since the Lions Tour to Australia in 2001.

 

This is the first time I have been to the O2 Dome. For this great rebranding, we have to thank Peter Erskine as Peter was CEO of O2 (rebranded from Cellnet). So he is quite experienced in this. He is now Chairman of Ladbrokes – so watch this space. Sorry I forgot, we are into food and wine not gaming or telecom.

 

The special guests (not me) included  Steve Backley, Mike Denness, Duncan Goodhew, Sally Gunnell, David Seaman, JPR etc. In total there were 33. The majority were rowers and rugby players (14 rowers and 5 rugby union players). I presumed that they were the bigger boys and needed feeding.

 

I was on the same table as Jeff Probyn (England Rugby Union Prop) and Mrs Probyn. Jeff was a great host and was on form all evening. I was very pleased to note that Jeff knew all the dirty tricks (front row union) that I practised when I was playing. May be I’ll take up coaching one of these days.

 

For starters, we had a ham hock and goats cheese terrine with piccalilli and focaccia toast – that was the way it was written on the menu. It was very bland and I could not work out whether it did have the stated ingredients in it in the semi-darkness.

 

Main course was fillet of beef with braised shin of beef, fondant potato and a red wine sauce. I have never had fillet and shin together before in my life. It was quite pleasant and the fillet was served medium rare – more and more functions are serving seared fillet, I suppose it means that all you have to do is warm it up just before serving.

 

For desert, it was Eton Mess – I am not into deserts.

 

When we arrived, we were offered a glass of champagne, I am 90% certain that its not champagne and is probably some form of Australian sparkling wine and it was demi-sec. Hardly any Champagne House make demi-sec any more. If they do, it will be priced at a premium.

 

The two wines served at the table were: Poully Fume, Domaine Bel Air 2008 and Delta, Pinot Noir 2008. If you ever come across them in a supermarket, my advice is to avoid them. They will be good for curing fungal infection of the feet as they were both very acidic.

 

The entertainments of the night were provided by the Sugababes and ABC. Sugababes were off key for the first 2 songs but soon warmed up. ABC were terrific.

 

The event raised over £70,000 for Sport Relief.

 

Eddie (Mar 2^nd, 2010)

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