It’s high time that Canada got some global grooviness in the special events department, and of course it takes a smart, young entrepreneur from this writer’s favourite Canadian food destination to make it happen- Montreal. Jean-François Grenier is the man behind the grooviness, as he’s the owner of Altitude Concepts, a Montreal-based strategic events producer that has brought Dinner in the Sky to our shores, (along with local host, American Express).
A Singular Dining Experience
Created in Belgium by another enterprising sort, Dinner in the Sky is indeed a unique experience. You start by having a pre-boarding drink in the “lounge” outfitted with cool white leatherette club chairs and bar tables while you wait to get on the über-German-engineered crane-hoisted table. Attention to detail is the name of the game here and Grenier and his team make it their business to show you a good time. From the deluxe porta-potties on the side of the lounge(because you can’t wee in the air amigos!) through to providing sealed containers for you to keep your belongings safe and sound while you ascend 110 feet for your meal, every need is met.
Grenier, who used to book comedians for the Montreal laugh-fest, “Just for Laughs,” says that he learned what worked and what didn’t when comedians would tell him about their festival experiences. “I saw what the problems were and I learned what mistakes not to make,” says Grenier. A firm believer in testing what you’re selling first, Grenier went up for Dinner in the Sky himself before signing on for the Canadian rights. “You feel butterflies for the first five minutes,” he confessed, “but then after that, it’s really very enjoyable.” Absolutely!
The Butterfly Effect
Once the purse and the keys were checked into their safety box on the ground, we sat down and got strapped in (if security is your concern, don’t be- this outfit is VERY well secured with a multi-point seat belt and solidly bolted down race car seats that are super comfy). Once you’re all buckled up, you head up about 110 feet and yes, that’s when a few butterflies kick in. The poor chap beside me (not the husband) looked positively freaked out, but even he warmed up to the high dining experience after about 15 minutes.
The evening started with a champagne toast followed by a three course dinner menucreated by Presidential Gourmet- a local catering company. The first course consisted of a Cornish hen roulade lined with spinach pesto served over a fennel mash, summer succotash, fennel pollen and a mildly spicy red pepper sauce. The hot dishes are presented with a silver bell from the adjoining on-site catering kitchen and presented just before lift-off. It was perfectly pleasant but not mind-boggling. The view of Dundas Square and the tiny people below it however were a sight to behold! We moved onto a salad course with two roasted vegetable terrines (mushrooms and zucchini) with a red tomato gelée and yellow tomato water alongside young greens, a wild rice tuile and a chokecherry dressing. We ended off with a maple sugar lollipop- memories of the sugar shacks visited in elementary school. Lots of whimsy there.
Dinner in the Sky is like a deluxe patio dinner or sky high gourmet picnic with the best possible view. It’s not meant to scare the life out of you or make your hair stand on end, although your seat can swivel if you like, as your feet dangle freely over the red carpet (a feat even my once frightened neighbour attempted). Best of all though, you don’t have dishes to do and you walk away with an experience - or at the very least a view - of a lifetime.
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