The upcoming Ontario Science Centre exhibit โFacing Mars: Would You Survive the Journey?โโopening June 9โprovided the inspiration for this yearโs Innovatorsโ Ball, held at the Don Mills facility Thursday. โOur theme is Rock the Red Planet so weโre taking people to Mars for a really cool party and itโs 2029. We've got a time tunnel that people will walk through [and on the other side] youโre having dinner on Mars,โ said Cindy Ball, associate director, development.
The evening kicked off with a dinner prepared by Susur Lee (who is closing Susur tomorrow and opening a new restaurant in Manhattan this fall) in conjunction with A La Carte Kitchen, and the George Brown College Chef School. โItโs such a great event. I was invited last year...I was looking at the food and saying, โWow, I want to do this.โ And Tony Cohen [vice chair of the event], who sat next to me, said, โOkay, youโre in.โ So thatโs why Iโm here,โ said Lee, who created a three-course meal for the evening.Dinner began with an amuse plate including lobster salad with chipotle Parmesan and baby arugula, marinated shrimp with sumac and orange glaze, and seared scallops with preserved lemon and Indian tomato jam. The main entrรฉe included Soya glazed filet of organic beef served with white and green asparagus and baby carrots wrapped with pancetta, and a Swiss cheese potato. Guests dined on banana chocolate tart with hazelnut mousse for dessert.
โI donโt believe [Lee] does this kind of thing on a regular basis. Weโre very fortunate to have him,โ said Ball, who turned to Solutions With Impact to translate the theme into the decor. โThe Science Centre and our exhibit spaces are still really the backdrop for this. Itโs not like weโre going into a hotel ballroom. We want people to experience the Science Centre,โ she said.
The 450 dinner guests gathered in the main lobby, decorated as a white and silver departure lounge, before walking through a long hallway and a passage designed as a time tunnel (a circular black walkway) to enter the main dining area in the great hall, dressed in red and black.
The Mars-themed colour palette continued in the Weston Family Innovation Centreโthe site of the all-red after-partyโwhere an additional 800 guests joined the dinner crowd for performances by Wade O. Brown, Lindsay Ell, Tomi Swick, and Crash Parallel. Guests also had the opportunity to visit an oxygen bar. โYou might have to get an extra hit of oxygen because youโre on a different planet,โ Ball said.
The evening kicked off with a dinner prepared by Susur Lee (who is closing Susur tomorrow and opening a new restaurant in Manhattan this fall) in conjunction with A La Carte Kitchen, and the George Brown College Chef School. โItโs such a great event. I was invited last year...I was looking at the food and saying, โWow, I want to do this.โ And Tony Cohen [vice chair of the event], who sat next to me, said, โOkay, youโre in.โ So thatโs why Iโm here,โ said Lee, who created a three-course meal for the evening.Dinner began with an amuse plate including lobster salad with chipotle Parmesan and baby arugula, marinated shrimp with sumac and orange glaze, and seared scallops with preserved lemon and Indian tomato jam. The main entrรฉe included Soya glazed filet of organic beef served with white and green asparagus and baby carrots wrapped with pancetta, and a Swiss cheese potato. Guests dined on banana chocolate tart with hazelnut mousse for dessert.
โI donโt believe [Lee] does this kind of thing on a regular basis. Weโre very fortunate to have him,โ said Ball, who turned to Solutions With Impact to translate the theme into the decor. โThe Science Centre and our exhibit spaces are still really the backdrop for this. Itโs not like weโre going into a hotel ballroom. We want people to experience the Science Centre,โ she said.
The 450 dinner guests gathered in the main lobby, decorated as a white and silver departure lounge, before walking through a long hallway and a passage designed as a time tunnel (a circular black walkway) to enter the main dining area in the great hall, dressed in red and black.
The Mars-themed colour palette continued in the Weston Family Innovation Centreโthe site of the all-red after-partyโwhere an additional 800 guests joined the dinner crowd for performances by Wade O. Brown, Lindsay Ell, Tomi Swick, and Crash Parallel. Guests also had the opportunity to visit an oxygen bar. โYou might have to get an extra hit of oxygen because youโre on a different planet,โ Ball said.
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash