A ground-breaking multi-sensory dining event for 300 guests has raised more than £140,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity – the UK’s largest dedicated funder of research into primary brain tumours.
The concept for SENSORA was created by Mark Tuttiett, head chef at Da Terra in London’s Bethnal Green, and his brother James, in collaboration with The Charity and with music especially curated by electronic DJ duo Bicep.
Alongside Mark an incredible line up of chefs, holding six Michelin stars between them, cooked up a course each: Cal Byerley of Restaurant Pine in Cumbria; Holly Middleton-Joseph from Hausu in Peckham; Mark Donald from Glenturret in Scotland; Will Murray of social media sensation Fallow; and Tom Brown from the Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge.
The menu was designed to represent each of the five senses plus memory – all of which are affected by a brain tumour diagnosis. They involved ingredients like trout, BBQ scallop, venison and oyster ice cream.
Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of the under 40s in the UK and The Charity is a cause that’s important to the Tuttiett siblings who lost both their parents, Alison and Neil, to glioblastoma brain tumours 15 years apart, while Bicep’s Matt McBriar has had treatment for a rare brain tumour on his pituitary gland.
Mark said: “We wanted to challenge ourselves to create something truly meaningful and different. Our dad left his mark through the students he taught, and our mum through her work as a dietitian – this is our way of honouring them, by bringing people together in a powerful, lasting way.”
Matt said: “In 2024 I was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma, and The Brain Tumour Charity were incredibly supportive during my time in hospital and in recovery. I know first-hand how quickly everything can change. Being part of SENSORA feels like a meaningful way to give something back to the charity.”
The sell-out event took place at London’s HERE at Outernet earlier this month, breaking the mould for charity gala dinners by creating an immersive experience that included visuals, designed by creative agency VCCP Blue to “evoke the intricacy of neural mapping and CT scans … alongside the artistry of fine-dining and electronic soundscapes.”
Funds were raised through ticket sales, donations and an auction, while guests heard from Young Ambassador Owen Sutton, 27, who spoke about rebuilding his life after surgery and stroke.
Owen, from Tamworth,
He said: “The toughest thing is probably that I have an invisible condition. I can’t see properly to the right. It’s affected my confidence and my sense of belonging. I started looking around for support and that’s when I found The Brain Tumour Charity.”
Guests included restaurant critic and author Jimi Famurewa, food and drink influencer Toby Inskip – known as Eating with Tod – and leading figures from the UK food and music scenes, alongside friends, supporters and charity representatives.
Clare Horwood, Director of Fundraising at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “Our heartfelt thanks go to James, Mark, Matt, Andy, all the chefs and to everyone who gave their time and skills to make this outstanding evening a possibility. It was a night to remember and incredibly poignant to have so many people standing alongside us to change the shocking statistic that brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 in the UK.
To find out more about The Brain Tumour Charity, which also supports patients and their families all over the UK, visit: www.thebraintumourcharity.org