Thoughts on the test kitchen’s evolution

I’ve been doing the test kitchen thing for well over a year now and it’s been so revitalizing to think of how it’s developed — but now that I’ve tinkered for a bit, I’m also considering some modifications.  Here’s what the format has been like to date: guests pruchase tickets to cover the cost of ingredients, I prepare and serve a meal, and guests in turn give me feedback.

At the root of this, I enjoy the impulsive, fly-by-the-seat of your pants ambience — both you and I are tasting a new creation, and there’s something a bit magical about having others there to share in something conceived and rendered for the first time.

That aspect, I’d like to preserve.

In terms of reservations, I used to solicit guests on Facebook — its biggest limitation being that I can’t cap attendance.  Sid set up a lovely e-newsletter, which will allow me to both limit guest attendance and also try to reach a wider audience beyond Facebook.  It’s a work in progress, but it’s an important step in making this website a hub for event coordination.

I’m also reconsidering my system for preparation.  Lately, the test kitchens have sold out and I often increase capacity beyond my initial limit.  I believe the last few test kitchens have served 15-17 a night, which isn’t a huge group in itself but it’s a pretty large group for me to single-handedly prep and cook for.  So here’s what I’m curious about.  Would anyone be interested in either volunteering for prep/service (and I’d comp your meal) and/or varying the format of the kitchen so that we shift into more of a potluck style event (i.e. no cover, but everyone comes up with a dish based on a theme), or maybe doing something classroom style and walking through a recipe start to finish?

I’m open to suggestions — I’m basically trying to think of ways to cater to a larger audience, while making the test kitchens interactive especially as more people get involved.

And, keep your eyes peeled for another test kitchen in July.  It’s tentatively slated to be a Korean fusion menu (“Galbi Damned” Korean BBQ and Linda Falkenstein’s idea for “Bi-Bim-Bop”, a Korean-Jazz fusion dish.)