The world’s most expensive Christmas dinner: menu revealed

By John O' Ceallaigh

Costing £125,000 for four people, or £31,250 per person, the menu for what will be the world’s most expensive Christmas dinner menu has been devised by London chef Ben Spalding, who has completed residencies at restaurants including The Fat Duck in Bray, Gordon Ramsay’s Royal Hospital Road and Per Se in New York.
Among the ingredients being used are a Yubari King melon costing £2,500, in addition the the £2,600 Densuke watermelon; 150-year-old balsamic vinegar costing £1,030; whole white Alba truffle costing £3,500; and gold leaf coming in at £6,000. To drink, a £37,000 bottle of Piper Heidsieck 1907 champagne will be served in diamond-studded flutes; diners who prefer spirits can sip from a £2,000 stock of DIVA vodka, described as a “diamond-sand-filtered vodka” and served in a bottle that is filled with Swarovski crystals.
The focal point of the meal will be the traditional Christmas turkey, served this time with Dodine turkey and with Wagyu beef fillet and heart. It will be wrapped in gold leaf and sprinkled with Akbari pistachios. For dessert, the quartet will conclude their £125,000 meal with whipped Kopi Luwak, a coffee bean, and Densuke watermelon.

The meal will be prepared by Ben Spalding and his team at the guests’ home - it seems safe to assume that whoever pays for the service will have enough space in their residence to accommodate them – and it is being offered by site VeryFirstTo.com, which specialises in debuting one-off or rare events and experiences throughout the world. Spalding is donating 80 per cent of his fee to Cancer Research UK and Hospitality Action.
The menu, and the core ingredients used to make it, are listed below.

The chef's key ingredients:
Diva Vodka - £2,000
Piper Heidsieck 1907 Champagne - £37,000
Dry ice - £180
Pata Negra Iberico jambon - £600
Birds Nest - £100
Almas Caviar - £5,000
150 year old balsamic - £1,030
Whole White Alba truffle - £3,500
Pullet de bresse’s for stock - £2,500
Saffron stock - £500
Yubari King melon - £2,500
Dodine of rare breed turkey - £500
Wagyu beef - £4,500
Gold leaf - £6,000
Periogord truffles - £900
Akbari pistachios - £5,000
Kopi Luwak - £3,000
Amadei chocolate - £150
Densuke watermelon - £2,600
Gold Ugandan vanilla plate - £1,500
1949 Cheval Blanc - £4,680
1988 Corton-Charlemagne, Coche-Dury - £1,390
1959 La Tache - £5,400
1976 Chateau d'Yquem - £990