A gathering of gourmets

The red course of foie gras terrine with beetroot and raspberries. Photos by Mike Peters / China Daily

While the Chaine party of about 50 was too large for The Cut's intimate space, the Fairmont staff turned a ballroom into a fantasy dining room, with multicolored orchids to reflect the chef's dinner theme of "color". Block himself - and perhaps the spirit of that glass dragon - circulated among the tables to make sure guests were enjoying every morsel.

But before dinner, there was a traditional champagne cocktail and an even more traditional ceremony to swear-in new board officers and new members.

On this night, Block's meat cleaver was not the biggest blade in the house: Master of Ceremonies Beat Muller, who runs Swiss Bread and the Beijing bailliage of the Chaine, touched a traditional sword to the shoulder of each honoree, including Block and new members Michael Ho, managing director of American Clubs International (Tianjin) and JC Liu, CEO of Richfields Capital.

The mix of old military swords and colorful sashes sometimes lent an aura of The Three Musketeers - though there were no plumed hats - but the whole package always felt inspired, never absurd.

"We come here to escape the daily routine," says longtime member Marcel Greenberg, who has spent a decade in China as a cosmetics entrepreneur and now a marketing consultant for Swiss firms.

"It is a chance to enjoy good food, good company and good conversation in a leisurely way."

The good company is generally by invitation and rather select.

"Our members are invited by two existing members and usually will join our dinners a few times prior to applying to our brotherhood," says Muller. "To become a member, we charge 3,800 yuan ($623) for the first year. This includes the ribbon and certificate which will be sent from Paris."

The annual member fee in Beijing drops to 1,500 yuan in subsequent years, and each wine-paired dinner costs 1,150 yuan per person.