Pop-up Taste of Gallery comes to Church Health
Pop-up restaurants are, well, popping up all across the country. As part of this trend, a temporary restaurant opens in a park, gallery, event space, warehouse or other unique unexpected spaces. It’s the perfect opportunity for chefs to try new concepts and menus without the confines of a traditional restaurant operation.
The latest chef testing out the Memphis food scene with pop-ups is David Krog. Krog and his wife, Amanda, have been hosting a pop-up called Taste of Gallery since he left Interim at the beginning of the year to work on a new restaurant concept. (News of that should come this fall.)
“At Taste of Gallery we are doing so much fun stuff,” Krog said. “There are no rules.”
Krog has kept his pop-up concept small — with only 20 guests in attendance.
“With a small group, I can create a menu that is truly farm and ingredient driven. Farmers and growers call and say, ‘I have 2 pounds of this.’ I am the chef that can take that small amount of an ingredient and use it.”
When you attend a Taste of Gallery event, you will enjoy a six-course tasting dinner that is paired with seven wines selected by sommelier Chris Thorn of soon-to-open P.O. PRESS Public House & Provisions. In keeping with the “gallery” theme, each course is artfully prepared and plated. There is also a pop-up exhibition of local artwork.
“I really wanted to offer what major markets are doing,” Krog said.
The next Taste of Gallery is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Church Health Nutrition Hub at Crosstown Concourse. For his fifth Taste of Gallery dinner, Krog has planned an enticing menu that includes such courses as Ripley Tomato Gelee with Micro Arugula, Basil Emulsion and Balsamic and Duck Breast with Foie Gras Butter and Smoked Thyme Veal Reduction.
“These dinners have proved that there are some real adventurous eaters out there,” Krog said.
For tickets to an upcoming Taste of Gallery dinner, visit facebook.com/gallery901. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Those attending must be at least 21.
Butcher Dinner by City Block Salumeria & Salt|Soy
And speaking of pop-up restaurants, there is another group in town hosting them as well. The fourth installment of the City Block Salumeria series of Butcher Dinners is set for Thursday at The South Main Market (409 S. Main) featuring Chef Nick Scott, head chef and owner of Salt|Soy and Alchemy, along with Chefs Brad McCarley and Lee Mitchell, both of City Block Salumeria.
“We started these Butcher Dinners to collaborate with chefs around the city,” Scott said. “They are like a playground for us to collaborate with our friends and to do something different than what we do every day.”
The five-course dinner will have cocktail pairings courtesy of Nick Manlavi of Civil Pour and wine pairings courtesy of Chris Thorn of P.O. PRESS Public House & Provisions. Tickets must be purchased in advance at eventbrite.com.
Miz Grazi sauce is back
Eight years after being discontinued, the beloved Miz Grazi sauce at Back Yard Burgers is back through Sept. 30. The recipe originated with the Italian Graziosi family who farmed in the Mississippi, growing chilies that were used in the matriarch’s famous Miz Grazi sauce. The rich history it boasts is equal to its flavor depth — tangy and bold with a hint of sweetness. Back Yard Burgers’ founder loved it so much, he bought the rights to the sauce and began offering it as a burger topping back in the 1990s. All five Memphis-area locations will be carrying the sauce.
Family baking class
I am always asked for info on kids cooking classes so I was excited to hear that the Church Health Nutrition Hub will host a family cooking class for kids as young as 6. The class is Saturday, and there are two class options that day: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Families will prepare delicious (shhhh … and nutritious!) oatmeal cookies.
Each participant will learn baking techniques, choose custom ingredients, and bake and package one dozen cookies to take home.
The class costs $10 per family, and pre-registration is required. Child care is available at The Well (Church Health’s family and child wellness facility) for kids under 6. To register for the 9 a.m. class, visit churchhealth.org.
Contact Jennifer Chandler at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.