Everest dinner party update: Sat Bains and team hit base camp
Sat Bains, who is attempting to set the Guinness World Record for the highest ever formal dinner party, has given an update from the Everest Base Camp.
Speaking to The Caterer this morning, he said: "We're at base camp for two more days acclimatising before we move to the advanced base camp on Sunday.
"We're at 5,200m and it's amazing - even tying your shoelaces is hard. We are having to do everything really slowly, but we have very experienced climbers with us [advising us]."
"They are a great bunch of guys," said Bains, chef-patron of the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham, "and we have great support here."
Photos by @satbains1 Instagram
At the advance base camp, a Buddhist prayer ceremony (Puja ceremony) will take place. The Puja ceremony, the blessing of the expedition, is an essential ritual for the sherpas and climbing cannot begin without performing this. The party is then expected to climb to North Col on 26 April, with the dinner taking place on the following day. The itinerary is tentative, however, as weather, the availability of yaks, the date of the Puja ceremony and rope-fixing progress on the mountain can affect timings.
The climbers are seeking to raise £100,000 and are accepting donations via the JustGiving site. At the time of writing they have raised nearly £21,000. Independently, Bains has raised more than £22,000 for Hospitality Action and Community Action Nepal. Keep up to date with Sat Bains' world record attempt on Instagram >>
Bains's record-setting menu will comprise a wheat soup with sweetcorn, shimeji and kombu; beef Bourgignon with aged beef cheek and potatoes; and a chocolate dessert with miso, caramel and salt.
Sat Bains' Everest dinner party record attempt reaching new heights >>
Chefs unite to raise £20,000 for Hospitality Action and Community Action Nepal >>
Claude Bosi to host charity dinner for Hospitality Action >>
Chef Sat Bains to cook on Mount Everest in attempt to set world record >>