Are Chef’s Table dinners the best word of mouth (WOM) marketing?

Are Chef’s Table dinners the best word of mouth (WOM) marketing? You pay for the best then go off and tell everyone about it. Restaurant wins at both ends.

I raise this subject as a compliment having just had the most wonderful Chef’s Table dinner at L’ortolan, Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire. My daughters Jo, Sam and Katy conspired to book the night for me as a birthday present.

The evening was a magical 12 courses accompanied by 12 different wines. Interlaced were conversations and chats with Alan Murchison (the boss, executive chef and all round good chap), Elliot (the sous chef) and the rest of the team.

But the visual theatre of the team delivering plated perfection for the restaurant guests was most engaging part of the experience. A truly fantastic evening.

The result: here I am doing the PR and marketing for Alan and L’ortolan. And it is a pleasure to do so. If you are looking for a unique experience and enjoy excellent cuisine, try and book the Chef’s Table.

Kevin Harrington

I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.

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