Birdcage Action - Lavazza at Melbourne Cup

Written by David Hagger on 04 November 2014.

Lavazza turned it on in the Birdcage for Melbourne Cup Day. ThemedFrom Italy With Passion, Lavazza’s guests enjoyedsignature dishes from some of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane’s best chefs - bringing their take on Italian flavour inspirations, paired with Lavazza’s coffee, of course!

Lavazza has established its reputation as a premium marquee at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Having observed the marquee over the years there's been enviable conviviality and Italian hospitality in spades, with tickets much sought after. It's a marquee of sophistication but also Italian warmth.

2014 marks 12 years of Lavazza’s involvement in the Melbourne Cup Carnival and its strong positioning as one of the most sought-after hospitality offerings in the Birdcage that is synonymous with fine Italian hospitality, food, wine and of course, coffee.

International VIP guests Erykah Badu and Ty Wood exclusively attended Caffé Lavazza in the Birdcage enclosure at Flemington for Melbourne Cup Day.

Another special guest in attendance, was Australian supermodel, Montana Cox.

Multiple Grammy Award winner Erykah Badu had guests in awe with her soulful voice which lifted Caffé Lavazza.

Guests enjoyed the ‘From Italy, with Passion’ inspired menu and signature dishes created by chefs Giovanni Pilu of Pilu at Freshwater and Alessandro Pavoni of Ormeggio at the Spit, including a decadent risotto from Pilu, and an ‘egg yolk carbonara’ served with croutons, pecorino foam and crispy pancetta from Pavoni.

Other guests in attendance were Shane Warne, Lydia Schiavello, Chris and Rebecca Judd, Nadia Bartel, Nicole Warne, Natasha Oakley, Harrison Craig, Gary Ablett, Nick Giannopoulos, to name a few.

Here are some more highlights (photos courtesy of Lavazza)...

One of only a few chefs in Australia specialising in Sardinian cuisine, Pilu, a two-hatted chef and restaurateur, again produced a mouth-watering dish for Caffe Lavazza on Melbourne Cup Day and he didn't disappoint Lavazza’s guests with his decadent risotto. The risotto is made using an Italian carnaroli rice which has been dried and aged for 12 months and features a specially-created champagne foam, dried mullet roe bottarga and fennel puree, layered over a freshly shucked Sydney rock oyster.

Running one of Sydney’s most esteemed restaurants on the North Shore, Brescian-born chef Alessandro Pavoni has been delighting Sydney's dining scene since 2009 with his northern Italian gem Ormeggio at the Spit. Pavoni is well-known for his ability to rework traditional dishes in a modern way, using new technology and techniques to create new food experiences. This year Pavoni also served up a dish on Cup Day, bringing his modern take on an Italian classic with an ‘egg yolk carbonara’ served with croutons, pecorino foam and crispy pancetta to satisfy hungry race-goers.

Celebs everywhere. Lavazza was the place to be on Cup Day...

Posted in Food