On 30th April 2018 at 7020m above sea-level, experienced British adventurer Neil Laughton has broken a world record to host the world’s highest black tie dinner party at the North Col on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest.
The World’s Highest Dinner Party team led by adventurer Neil Laughton climbed to Mount Everest’s North Col (7020m/23031ft), where they set up a dining table, crockery, cutlery, a flower arrangement and then cooked an exclusive high-altitude menu, designed by Sat Bains, a Michelin two-starred chef. The team toasted the occasion with a bespoke cocktail created by exploration bar Mr Fogg’s and METAXA 12 Stars. Quintessentially English luxury lifestyle brand, Aspinal of London, crafted one off handmade hipflasks for each climber to sip the bespoke cocktail, North Col. Created by Mr Fogg’s, the cocktail using METAXA 12 Stars, Spiced Butter Tea Cordial, Yogurt Powder and Herb Bitters takes its inspiration from the location itself.
The expedition repeated their 2015 route approaching Everest from the northern base camp in Tibet, following the Rongbuk Glacier up to Advance Base Camp at about 6,400m (21,000ft). The dinner took place at North Col, at 7,020m (23,032ft) which is close to the ‘death zone’. The team set up the stoves and the table to prepare and cook the meal and then served the world record- breaking three-course dinner, toasted with flutes of Mumm champagne. For the dinner male team members donned full black tie while female team members were in full-length dresses. The guest of honour was Sirdar Nima Sherpa who was presented with his own dinner suit in 2015. The diners then set up camp before descending the following morning and will return to the UK on 8th May. To mark this world-record, quintessentially English luxury lifestyle brand, Aspinal of London, have crafted one off handmade hipflasks for each climber.
Expedition leader and entrepreneur Neil Laughton, who has already led five successful expeditions to Mount Everest and summited the mountain in 1998 with Bear Grylls, is renowned for his eccentric adventurous expeditions and for his efforts raising money for charity. These include paddling a bath across the Solent, playing cricket at the South Pole and flying a car across the Sahara Desert. This time he has travelled via Tibet to the North Col of Everest to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest black tie dinner party at 7,100m (23,293ft) dining in style accompanied by a glass of Mumm champagne!
Expedition leader Neil Laughton said “I am delighted to have succeeded in leading a British team in setting a rather eccentric new world record – our next goal is to surpass our £150,000 for struggling Sherpa communicates after the devastating earthquake in 2015 which we witnessed first hand.”
The purpose of this eccentric British expedition is greater than a world record attempt. Inspired after the tragedy of the 2015 earthquake to help the community surrounding this epic mountain, the team are attempting to raise over £150,000 for Community Action Nepal, a charity that supports the mountain-dwelling people of Nepal and provides sustainably-driven life-saving aid and life-changing infrastructure. Funder and Operations Director of Community Action Nepal Doug Scott CBE said “Congratulations to Neil Laughton and the Everest Dinner 2018 team for celebrating the recording breaking dinner party in style on Everest. It was just three years since the devastating earthquake drove them off the mountain on the previous attempt. The generous support of the team, their sponsors and supporters mean so much to Community Action Nepal’s post-earthquake reconstruction work, which still continues.”
This year’s attempt on the World’s Highest Dinner Party is supported by Mumm Champagne who have championed adventurer Neil Laughton as a member of their prestigious Cordon Rouge Club which celebrates extraordinary people and their daring and victorious adventures. Louis de Fautereau, Brand Director for Maison Mumm said “We raise a glass of Mumm to celebrate with Neil in his victory in breaking a world record with courage and daring. As a member of the Cordon Rouge Club, Neil is the epitome of the #DareWinCelebrate essence of Mumm”.
