All star Cairns foodie lineup on show at The Dining Project

Some of the city's top culinary operators are joining forces for a lavish degustation event, with one of the chefs describing it as an "exciting, ambitious and outrageously awesome" event.

High-profile local chefs Oliver James and Nicolas Devic, alongside hospitality service legend Kevin Gabsi-Albini, will undertake the latest installment of The Dining Project this Friday, November 20.

Called Sensory, this 12-course degustation event will feature unique natural wines and beverages, the most indulgent ingredients from Tropical North Queensland (and beyond), elaborate staging and entertainment for a once-only, world-class dining experience - with only 30 seats available. 

After COVID-19 decimated the FNQ restaurant industry over the past 8 months or so, this Dining Project collaboration is a welcome comeback for the sector. 

Oliver James, a 'global foodie traveller' who owns Guyala Cafe and Tattooed Sailor and formerly owned Caffiend, will combine his culinary skills with Nicolas Devic, the owner of C'est Bon, while Kevin Gabsi-Albini from Growin' Hospo Solutions will manage the five-star service.

Nicolas said the Sensory event will be a once-in-a-lifetime culinary adventure with limited seating for just 35 people.

"The 12 course menu will be delivered in a funky, unconventional way and the dishes will be paired with not just wines but alcoholic beverages from around the world," he said.

"All of the quirks, quality and surprises involved in this event means it comes with expenses, so the event will not be cheap to attend but we do it to have fun and to do something a bit different.

"In other words, we'll do it for the glory as we intend to break even on it. Generating a profit isn't the goal on that one!"

Some of the dishes to be served up include:

  • Oyster, fermented pineapple, kimchi dust & fennel
  • Paperbark smoked crab Miang, green papaya, Earlville pomelo
  • Tablelands red claw, garlic butter & textures of Davidson Plum
  • Queensland Gigi charcoal Gulf leader prawn with rainforest honey, raspberry dust, black salt
  • Barrier Reef Painted Cray, sous vide in coconut & white soy

To reserve your spot, grab your tickets here.