Paws & Platters: A Chef's Wild Feast

Brazzers

Zac Wild, Hayley Davies Pic(s)

The sun dipped below the sprawling oaks of the private estate, casting a golden glow over the long wooden table set for the evening’s extraordinary gathering, Paws & Platters. Celebrated chef Zac Wild, known for his fiercely inventive approach to foraged cuisine, moved with a quiet intensity around the open-air kitchen, his focus absolute. His partner for this wild feast, the brilliant pastry artisan Hayley Davies, was meticulously arranging delicate, edible flowers onto a stunning verrine that looked more like jewelry than food. Zac had spent the morning harvesting wood sorrel and wild mushrooms, which he was now searing over a live fire, the smoky aroma mingling perfectly with the crisp autumn air. Hayley’s creations, meanwhile, provided a breathtaking counterpoint, with her honey-infused cakes and delicate berry gels whispering of the forest’s sweeter secrets. Each platter told a story of the land, a narrative of terroir and texture that was both primal and profoundly elegant. Guests began to arrive, their excitement palpable as they were greeted with Hayley’s signature welcome drink, a sparkling elixir infused with foraged elderflower and a hint of thyme. Zac then presented the main course, a magnificent confit of wild game accompanied by a vibrant reduction of late-harvest berries and aromatic roots. As the stars emerged overhead, the culmination of their collaboration arrived: a gravity-defying chocolate sculpture by Hayley that cracked open to reveal a creamy, earthy chestnut mousse, earning a collective gasp of delight. This was more than a meal; it was a symphony of the senses, a perfect harmony between Zac’s untamed fire and Hayley’s refined artistry, leaving an indelible memory on every single guest.