The King's Feast (III): Between Two Banks

On September 24th, 2025, ‘The King’s Feast’ took over the Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of its highly anticipated official opening, in celebration of Cairo Food Week’s 3rd edition.

3 years ago, in a small room at the Alchemy design offices, big aspirations bloomed - a celebratory showcase of Egypt’s millennia of cultural and culinary heritage. A transformative feat of architecture, design, gastronomy uniting the creative industry under one shared vision, curated by (then newly established) Alchemy Experience. A concept that could travel the world, reclaiming ownership and pride in our history, our heritage, our creativity, our craftsmanship - simply, our pride in being Egyptian. This grand ambition manifested as the King’s Feast.

First unveiled at Cairo Food Week in 2023, the ‘King’s Feast’, an immersive culinary concept in tribute to Egypt’s ancient heritage. Each edition reimagines a feast fit for the Pharaohs as an ode to a rich history of agriculture and hospitality that translates heirloom ingredients into contemporary dishes. A celebration rooted in the past, with a modern vision for the future.

In its 3rd iteration, the now infamous 20-meter-long feasting table extends Jirian, the lifeline of ancient Egyptian civilization, to the Grand Egyptian Museum’s Glass Hall. Setting a scene on the fertile banks of the Nile with East and West, mirror images of life and rebirth from scent, to touch, to taste. East, as the sun rises, so too does life & civilization; rich agricultural & gastronomic culture, fresh produce, circular culinary traditions honoring the seasons and their bounty. West, as the sun sets, preparations commence for the passage into the afterlife; preservation of ingredients, of techniques, of the cultural soul, of tradition. Under the inspired curation of Alchemy Experience, the conceptual design of ‘The King’s Feast’ transforms the museum into a multisensory journey through millennia of Egyptian opulence, tradition and gastronomy.

On the threshold of transportation the ‘Scent of the Nile’ resets the palate, sweeping away the cacophony of the outside world with the first breath of the night. Earthy, mineral, essential - scents that evoke core taste memories. Light notes of Lotus, bergamot and night jasmine lead into layers of tartness and green freshness with black currant. Parting notes from herbal rosemary, to earthy dates, and doum leads the entry into ‘The Gathering’. Lush greenery dotted with lotus blooms, lit from within - a cornucopia of divine fruit, deep greens and twilight marvelously designed by Khaled El Wakil’s Flowerbar and Noha Mohsen’s Enlighten. Set within, Hummingbird’s bar concocted glittering cocktails & refreshing tastes of the Nile, kept cool in traditional red clay vessels.

Welcomes, speeches and well deserved thanks bestowed, the curtains finally sweep back to reveal ‘The Offering’ - where the harvest flows along the Nile. A feast fit for the Pharaohs, in life and the afterlife, curated by Sage Experience. On the East bank, an abundance of fresh flavors, from produce to river fish to cheese and legumes. On the West bank, inspired by preparations for the passage into the afterlife, the same ingredients take on new forms through preservation

The gala celebration sets the bar for cultural experiential design on both a local and global stage, paving the way for future editions of ‘The King’s Feast’ to take over museums across the globe. Starting with the Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy, after its respective grand opening post-renovations.

The curatorial vision is brought to life by a selection of Cairo's finest artisans:

Culinary Curation by Sage Experience

Lighting Concept by Enlighten

Botanical Installations by Flowerbar

Branding & Visual Direction by I’M Branding

Curated Mixology by Hummingbird

Tableware by Abracadabra

Gelato by Dolato

Design Photography by Laila Heiba

Lifestyle Photography by Omar Aziz