In the presence of culinary greatness

The gentleman on the left of the picture is Paco Rancero, chef from El Bulli, the pioneering avant garde restaurant in Spain. The man pouring what looks like hot water into martini glasses is Joe McCanta of Grey Goose Vodka

I was lucky enough to go to a demonstration by them in a small bar in London by the name of Lounge Bohemia out in super cool Shoreditch. My jeans are not skinny enough and my bike has too many gears for me to fit in this part of the big city but I do work for some cool brands, Grey Goose being one, and that's how I came by this opportunity.

Every year the Elton John Aids foundation partners with Grey Goose to throw a Winter Ball and this year Paco will be cooking and and helping Joe in creating the cocktails.

This is them showing us that you can actually use liquid nitrogen to chill your Martini!!... At -196 degrees Celcius I thought that it would result in severe burns but it turns out that it becomes gas so quickly that it doesn't get the chance. Other LN2 tricks he had involved freezing a Rose bud, turning the leaves to the texture of ultra fine filo pastry and also making boozy cocktail sorbets with Pear vodka, lychee star anise and nutmeg.

Both lovely, and very talented men... I wish I had an invite to the gig at which they are cooking and mixing.