Sapphire Project Dinner

Sara Flaksbard

The Sapphire Project hosted its annual Sapphire Dinner at the iconic, never-before-used venue, The Tank at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW). Originally a WWII fuel storage facility for Australia’s naval fleet, this dramatic underground space provided the perfect setting for an event themed around ‘sustainability meets class.’

We were selected as the caterer for this exclusive evening, welcoming 350 distinguished guests. We designed a bespoke, zero-waste menu that showcased locally sourced and responsibly farmed ingredients. The menu featured exquisite dishes such as fried Akoya oysters, toasted mushroom and brioche fingers, and a warm broccoli salad with preserved lemon and almond. Mains included roasted cobia with greens and bone broth, Coppertree Farms beef fillet, and a vegetarian option featuring king oyster mushrooms and sprouted grains. The evening concluded with indulgent desserts like Valrhona chocolate and caviar tart, and a raspberry and lychee sphere.

The dinner set new benchmarks for sustainable catering and achieved record-breaking fundraising results. Over $1.6 million was raised for ocean conservation, marking the highest amount ever secured for an environmental charity event in Australia.
The Sapphire Dinner at The Tank was more than an evening of fine dining—it was a powerful statement of sustainability, conservation and collaboration.