11/11/2024
TLDR: lots of yuck on the interwebs this morning; gratitude overload post for Underground Gourmet and some good BTS stuff
When I dreamed up the idea to host a progressive dinner party through Bridal Cave, a lot of people thought I was nuts. And frankly, letās be honest, Iām a little bit nuts.
One day, when Ozark Epicurean was very new, Lindsey Webster invited me to a coffee and donut date for creative business owners at the Thunder Mountain Park Event Center. When she invited me, Iām pretty sure she had no idea I was bringing a toddler, an ambition the size of outer space, and a big ball of grief that needed processing, with me.
But Lindsey has a dollhouse in her office, a work ethic the size of the infinite Universe, and a quiet, compassionate heart, for those of us who have a broken wing.
Thank you, Whomever, for Lindsey! Sheās a gift.
Thank you, Lindsey, for āmatching my freakā on this event!
You are a gift.
Another person who was sent to me as a gift on my literal doorstep (but thatās a story for another day) is my bestie Melissa Cipponeri.
Sheās been well aware of my nuttiness for a long time, because weāve been best friends since we started working together when we were 15, and our moms had to drop us off for work at a mall restaurant. But hereās the thing. āCippyā is the real reason that events like Underground Gourmet can even be real.
When it was 15 minutes before guests were arriving, my hands were shaking as I was trying to handle my knife. My attention was being pulled from table linens, to music auxiliary cables, to water service, and so onā¦ cheffing in the kitchen with no one around is wholly different than cheffing in a *gift shop* at an event where you are one of only two people who know every detail about the inner workings of the timeline.
There were so many things to keep straight in my mind on the day of the event, but one thing I knew I didnāt need to worry about?
The food. Cippy is not only a crazy talented chef, but sheās a bosssss. She gives clear direction, she sees the bigger picture, she gets her brain right with what she needs to know and lets all the other information get filtered out. Singular focus. Clean and clear ex*****on. A true chef.
And without her, thereās no way this event wouldāve run as smoothly and as beautifully as it did. From navigating blowing out a circuit breaker repeatedly, as we tried to run three sous vide machines simultaneously, to having brought the wrong pots for our induction burner and losing our only active heat source, she fielded every last minute curve ball with grace. Our guests were none-the-wiser that anything (much less just about everything) was being done out of a makeshift kitchen, with no water source, and not according to the plan ā like, at all...
Iāve always felt safe with Melissa. Sheās a rock in my life, and I have no idea what I did to deserve her, but let me tell you ā I may be getting the pat on the back at the end of the night, but sheās your rockstar. If I had to train someone to do what she does when we work together? Hmmphh.
Felicity Miller ā holy smokes! It was really fun to see you get to work in the kitchen! You were an incredible asset to the evening, and I really look forward to getting to know you better, and getting to cook beside you more in the future. Iāve always enjoyed bumping into you at the markets, and sharing a vision for what food culture in the area could be. Thank you for helping me bring that one step closer to reality by giving of your time and energy. Your hustle was noticed and youāre stuck with us now! No good deed goes unpunished.
Matt and Rebecca Starnes, plus Haley! Thank you all so much for going above and beyond the call of duty. Serving wine and selling wine were your purpose at the event, but your hands helped create so much beyond that, from hopping into the kitchen to prep at the last minute, to bussing the table in the cave, running courses in and out, to making sure our guests had water at all the crucial points. Your team is a delight every time I get a chance to work with CafĆ© Jude's, but beyond pleasant, theyāre well-trained professionals. Iāve said it before, and Iāll say it again, the team environment youāve cultivated is a beautiful reflection of who you are in the world, and itās always a pleasure to be on your team.
Bridal Cave!
Kaden, thanks for hauling all the heavy things, scaling a literal mountain to hook up a hose for water supply, and keeping my friends and family entertained. Bri, your attention to detail and desire for a great experience was evident. Tripcie, thank you for being the face of Bridal Cave and handling everyoneās experiences as they entered and exited the experience, thatās such a crucial role in the way that everyone remembers us. Aysha, thank you for capturing the memories of an evening that I hope many people will cherish for a lifetime.
Shawn Thompson - Dude. Thank you for letting me āstub my toes.ā
Monica Pitts - You helped me realize a dream that Iāve had in my heart for over 20 years when you performed at the champagne tower. I cannot wait to do it again (and again.)
Wicked Sugarl - thank you for supplying the perfect ending to a dang near perfect evening. The Magic Dragon mini blackberry cheesecakes were a big hit, and I just love the creativity that goes into all you do.
Guests - to all of you who spent your hard-earned money on something that sounded cool but had very little social proof to stand on (or because I literally pressured you to) THANK YOU. I hope your gamble was worth it. I hope you felt the same magic in the air that we did. Iām so excited to keep creating these sorts of unique dining experiences here at the Lake, by people at the lake, and for people at the Lake. So as long as youāre showing up, Iāll keep putting in the sweat.
How cool was it that we got to hang out and eat local honey marshmallows in a cave together?!
(Really cool, right?)
š“Forks and Knives,
Carissa
