Diner en Blanc Filipino Canadian style

DINER EN BLANC. Heidi Ng, Natalie Perreira, Claudette Buyser. (Contributed photo)
DINER EN BLANC. Heidi Ng, Natalie Perreira, Claudette Buyser. (Contributed photo)

THIS year, since we could not attend the annual Diner en Blanc in Vancouver, our good friend, King Buyser, decided to recreate one in his own backyard adjacent to a park. It was an all-white, outdoor, fancy dinner party reminiscent of the original Diner en Blanc that has become a phenomenon across the globe. King decided to recreate his own by inviting several of us to celebrate our own white party, with the Covid restrictions softening because of the cases going down in this city. In the real Diner en Blanc, guests arrive from different locations throughout a city to one secret location, usually a landmark in that particular city.

In 1988, a Frenchman named Froncois Pasquier invited a group of his friends to an outdoor dinner party in Paris. The requirements were simple. Wear formal white attire, be able to enjoy good food and wine and great company. Guests were expected to exhibit elegance and proper etiquette. He did not reveal the location of the event until the last minute and this tradition remains today. It has been almost 30 years since the first Diner en Blanc. In Paris alone, Diner en Blanc hosts 15,000 people annually. It can be found in over 50 cities spanning 5 continents from Paris to New York to Vancouver.

In the real Diner en Blanc, guests are let in by invitation only. One is required to be on the guest list. The transportation going to the secret location is arranged by the organizers. No one knows until the last minute where the location will be. People are told to bring their own table, chairs, cutleries, plates and decor. There is a bus that will bring all the eager participants dressed in white to the secret location.

In the Vancouver one, you can preorder your food from the caterer if you do not want to bring your own picnic food. You can also pre-order drinks and alcohol. Everyone is expected to wear their most stunning white ensemble. There is napkin waving, lighting of sparklers in every Diner en Blanc.

In King's edition, we did not have to bring white chairs, white tablecloths, white tables, as King and his friends Leanne, Natalie, Magali, Claudette were in charge of recreating the white ambience with their creativity and resourcefulness. As guests, that was one load off our backs as we did not have to bring the hardware.

We all chipped in for paella, as well as King had a professional cook make the paella. We were all encouraged to bring other meals for the potluck.

It was a night of good food, delicious paella, overflowing drinks as outdoor tivoli lights, a hammock, candles and bright stars made this night a beautiful summer night. A multicultural gathering of people who share the love for great food, awesome company and a welcome respite from the social restrictions of the year that passed.

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