Nigel Burton was in the kitchen, ably assisted by son Oliver and Hilton Chapman on canapes, but Brent Savage wasn't. Advertised as an "assistant", Mr Savage's assistance turned out to be more inspirational than actual, but the large crowd of around 50 members and guests got their money's worth anyway.

Hilton produced some well-received starters: quality smoked salmon wrapped around equally smoky baba ganoush and secured with toothpicks; intriguing caramellised anchovies on the same baba ganoush, on crackers; and crunchy marinated raw skate with vegetables in a spicy Korean sauce on porcelain spoons. All well matched with a Tyrrells late bottled HVD Semillon, vintaged in 1999 but only bottled a couple of years ago. It showed some developed fruit with some sweetness, but remarkably fresh and attractive for its age. An ever-reliable Lustau manzanilla sherry also went the rounds.

The main course featured some long and lovingly cooked beef cheeks, prepared and poached in a broth of many stocks and flavours, with star anise coming through on the plate. A wonderfully unctuous onion marmalade lifted it well, although an attempt at smoked mashed potatoes was less successful, being over-worked and a bit pasty. No problems, though, with finely sliced and slightly pickled zucchini which completed the plate. Coming across all this were a couple of big McLaren Vale shiraz, a 2009 Olivers Tarango and a 2001 Burton kindly provided by the maker. The former showed plenty of fruit and flavour on both nose and palate but a bit unsubtle compared to the Burton, which had more elegance and depth on the palate, albeit a slight volatility on the finish.

The standard continued with the cheese course, featuring a red and stinky-rinded Jensen's Red from Tarago River in Gippsland Victoria. This was a washed rind cheese of the old school, with the intense colour and flavour of the rind opening to a soft sticky and nutty paste. It was beaut with a simple green salad with very little dressing but sweet fresh orange segments to provide a touch of acid, and two quite different reds: a great 2008 Vasse Felix Margaret River cabernet showing typical mint , elegance and youthful development with years ahead of it; and a 2001 Tatachilla Partners cabernet shiraz from various regions of SA, solid and straightforward but starting to show its age.

The coffee was from El Salvador in Central America, quite light in the US style but a good mouthfeel and some subdued citrus characters on the back palate to give it length.

And to conclude proceedings, all participated in the now traditional tot of birthday rum from Wal Edwards, 98 years young this year.