Melbourne's design and lifestyle scene had a standout moment when Villeroy & Boch, one of Europe's most iconic tableware and ceramics houses, took over Privé by Reine & La Rue for an exclusive showcase blending luxury tableware design, fine dining and high-end patisserie. Held at the acclaimed Melbourne bar on Queen Street, the evening paired 275 years of European craftsmanship with a custom dessert grazing experience by MasterChef Australia's Kirsten Tibballs — a night that captured everything Melbourne does best: design, food, drinks and style, all on one table. We were invited along to experience the best of design and world-class patisserie, as well as elite canapes and cocktails.
A Setting Built for the Story
Tucked at 90 Queen Street in the heart of the CBD, Privé by Reine & La Rue is exactly the kind of moody, detail-obsessed room that is perfect for showcasing the best of design — dim lighting, considered furnishings and a bar list built around precision rather than novelty. A perfect canvas for an evening built entirely around beautiful objects. If you love venues with this kind of atmosphere, Privé sits comfortably alongside the best of our guide to Melbourne's best bars.
275 Years of Craftsmanship on the Table
A highlight of the evening was to hear the story behind the iconic brand. Villeroy & Boch's history reads like a design fairytale. Founded in Lorraine in 1748 by François Boch, the family pottery set out with a simple but radical idea: beautifully made ceramics belonged in everyday life, not just aristocratic cabinets. In 1836, the Boch family joined forces with former rival Nicolas Villeroy, forming the house that continues to shape European tableware design today. More than 275 years on, that founding ambition — craftsmanship married to everyday use — was on full display, hosted by Toula Xenos, Managing Director of Villeroy & Boch Australia, whose hospitality set the tone for the night.
The Design Angle: Why Tableware Deserves the Spotlight
It's easy to treat plates and glassware as background detail, but this evening argued the opposite: the right tableware doesn't just present food, it completes it. I was able to check out the product range and admire Villeroy & Boch's clean lines and considered glazes — texture, colour and shape working with the kitchen rather than around it. For anyone who notices these details as much as the menu itself, it's a reminder that a truly memorable meal is a collaboration between chef (or patissier) and designer.
Kirsten Tibballs' Dessert Grazing Table
The showstopper of the night belonged to Kirsten Tibballs — internationally acclaimed pastry chef, Gold Medal winner at the Patisserie Olympics, and a familiar face to MasterChef Australia audiences.
Tibballs created a one-off dessert grazing experience exclusively for the evening, each piece built with the kind of precision that made them almost too beautiful to eat. Paired with Villeroy & Boch's tableware, the desserts became the clearest example of the night's whole premise: extraordinary food deserves an equally extraordinary stage.
What Was Poured
Privé's drinks list matched the evening's craftsmanship, including exceptional canapes (some of the best canapes of the year). Cocktails included the Albatros, made with Four Pillars Olive Leaf gin, Cocchi Americano, fino and verjus, and the Strawberry Sbagliato, blending Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Campari, strawberry and sparkling wine. Wine ranged from a Loire Valley Blanc de Blancs through to a Clare Valley Riesling and a Yarra Valley Cabernet-Malbec blend, while a wood-fired pineapple and coconut water Piña Colada Fizz covered the non-alcoholic list. It's the kind of thoughtful, well-rounded list we love calling out in our best wine bars in Melbourne roundup.
Why This Evening Mattered
Craftsmanship, creativity and hospitality — the three threads that ran through the night — are exactly what elevate a good meal into a memorable one. For me it was one of the events of the year, with so many highlights and dimensions. Villeroy & Boch, Kirsten Tibballs and the team at Privé by Reine & La Rue each brought their own discipline to the table, quite literally, and the result was a genuine showcase of what happens when design and dining are treated as equal partners.
Privé by Reine & La Rue
90 Queen Street, Melbourne
Looking for more Melbourne venues that treat atmosphere and detail this seriously? Explore our guides to the best bars in Melbourne and the best wine bars in Melbourne for your next night out.