A reception with oysters, dinner on the terrace and a party for 70 guests in Kockengen.

On Saturday 5 September 2026, A Culinary Affair hosted a late-summer garden party for 70 guests in Kockengen, in the Dutch countryside between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Guests arrived at 17.00 h for a reception in the garden, followed by dinner and a party that ran until 00.00 h.

Reception

Guests were welcomed with smoked and salted almonds, Cerignola olives and freshly shucked oysters on crushed ice: Gillardeau and Irish Mor, with mignonette, lemon, black pepper and Tabasco. Canapés followed: grilled courgette with ricotta cream, rye crostini with smoked trout mousseline, and crispy crab cakes with sriracha mayonnaise.

Dinner on the terrace

Dinner was served on a covered terrace overlooking the garden, which we arranged together with one of our rental partners. It opened with freshly baked bread and shared starters: burrata with heirloom tomatoes and basil, and a summer salad of roasted beetroot, ricotta and red chicory. For the main course we served lemon and thyme marinated halibut with pommes amandine and ratatouille Provençal, followed by a shared dessert of macarons, madeleines, strawberry tartlets and pistachio choux.

Music and party

Acoustic duo Jip & Daym played through the reception and dinner, after which DJ Thijs Derks took over. Sound2light lit the garden with warm string lights and uplights along the walking routes. At 22.30 h, pizza Margherita came straight out of the Ooni oven.

Behind the scenes

Our kitchen team worked from a set-up in the garden with an extra oven, a hotbox and the pizza oven. All rental material came from Héman Verhuur, from the crossback chairs to the wooden bars and DJ booth.