Laila Gohar knows her way around a summer get-together. The culinary artist has curated mesmerizing tablescapes for brands ranging from Hermès to DS & Durga, and has carved out a practice in food-based art that confounds as much as it delights.

Most recently, Gohar partnered with Champagne Lallier, a more than century-old Champagne house based in Aÿ, France (and a sponsor of the 2025 CULT100 fête), on a global campaign to celebrate the launch of their R.021 Brut. The release of the new cuvée marks a significant milestone for the brand—this latest addition to Champagne Lallier’s flagship Réflexion series is the first harvest-to-glass Champagne from Chef de Caves Dominique Demarville.

To mark the occasion, Gohar hosted an intimate launch dinner at downtown hotspot Bridges, and we asked the artist how to elevate our celebrations this Fourth of July. Champagne towers, anyone?

CULTURED: What are your three favorite Champagne-related summer activities?

Laila Gohar: Listening to the sound of the cork popping. Ice cold Champagne and oysters. Bringing a good bottle of Champagne to a friend’s dinner party.

CULTURED: What are your three tips for making a Champagne tower?

Gohar: If you’re going big, do the math ahead of time. Use coupes. Add extra height and build your tower on a riser or plinth so it feels sculptural. Bonus points if someone on stilts does the pouring.

CULTURED: What is your hero dish of the summer?

Gohar: Tomato salad.

CULTURED: What are your quintessential summer flavors?

Gohar: Watermelon, stone fruit, basil, tomato…

CULTURED: What are you celebrating/toasting to these days?

Gohar: As always, the people I love. Friends and family.

CULTURED: Please share your ideal summer pairing for Champagne Lallier R.021 Brut

Gohar: Raw scallops—cold, clean, and slightly sweet—are a beautiful match for the mineral quality of the R.021 Brut.