Event Details
Robert Burns, famed bard poet and the very reason Burns Night is celebrated every year, once wrote: "Some hae meat and canna eat / And some wad eat that want it / But we hae meat, and we can eat / Sae let the Lord be thankit."
Ever the wise man, Burns clearly knew the importance of food in Scottish culture. And pretty much every other culture too.
It's no wonder, then, that Burns Night brings together many Scottish traditions and honours numerous customs, but that it's food which sits pretty at the centre of the celebrations on 25 January every year.
Rex Whistler's famed Tate Britain restaurant is hosting its annual soirée which sees guests enjoy art, great food, a lot of equally great whisky and, of course, bagpipes to honour the man, the myth and the legend: Burns himself.
For anyone there on the night, champagne and a tour of some Scottish artwork will kick off the evening's festivities. Then, the more traditional welcoming of the evening kicks off as head chef Alfio Laudani presents the dining room with a silver-plated haggis the size of a small child and pipes are played to commemorate the birth – sorry, arrival – of the dish.
Back to food, of course: the evening really is a culinary occasion. Laudani's specially curated menu includes some real Scottish staples such as Cullen Skink, haggis (duh), neeps and tatties and venison wellington, followed by a trio of Scottish cheese and Scottish tablet.
As well as food, the Scots value their drink (which I can say because I'm half Scottish myself, and I speak from experience – not judgement). So, some of the best wine pairings will also be available throughout the meal and guests are encouraged to try any and every vino there is available.
Basically, Tate Britain has Burns Night on lockdown and it's set to be a real sizzler (yep, Burns himself would've been proud of that one).
Tickets start at £75 for the tour and dinner only and increase to £120 with wine pairing. Get all the information and ticket details at tate.org.uk
