The Supper Club experience is often refreshing and memorable.
Some surface every week, every month or once a year – some never again after the first time. A few have grown very sophisticated, even to the extent of operating in many different states simultaneously. And others, like Kindle Café, are steadily moving toward an inevitable commercial opening.
The Supper Club concept is similar to that of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where a group of people sign-on as members of a particular farm for a season and once per week they receive a mixed box of produce. Members pay forward for their boxes, which provides the capital required for the farmer to produce their bounty. It’s a loop that helps keep small farms alive, local economies strong and our produce fresh.
A good way to think of a Supper Club is perhaps as a Community Supported Kitchen (CSK). In the United States, Supper Clubs operate mostly in private homes and are open only on occasion. Normally the menu is fixed and guests have reserved their seats in advance. The list of invited guests are the members of the Community Supported Kitchen.
In many “developing countries” Supper Clubs are the absolute norm and are open virtually everyday for three meals. Commercial restaurants are a recent development, which are patronized by tourists. Restaurants are not a part of the local culture. So naturally, the community often gathers to eat in the homes of the best cooks in town.
The United States is a bit different. Dining out is an American birthright and on average we we eat-out more than we eat-in.
But to many the conventional experience of dining out has become quite lifeless and impersonal, not to mention downright unhealthy.
Recently, Supper Clubs are receiving a lot of attention and gaining popularity, especially in major cities, and there’s many reasons: It’s different, fun, affordable, the food is usually outstanding, it’s , and you walk away having met some cool new people.
But Supper Clubs tend to appear and disappear. Most close of their own accord after any number of trials. The chef and host say, “that was really fun!” and they put their house back together and keep it that way. Restaurants, even very temporary ones, are a lot of work. The thing is, if the food’s great, the guests call for more.
If the hosts remain resolved to keep their home intact, the one-off event becomes a story about a great party. If the hosts answer the call for more, then another Supper Club is born.
Kindle Café began as a Supper Club in Downtown, San Francisco in 2005 and was open the first Monday of each month from 6-9pm. Guests made their reservations personally with the chef by phone or email and were given the address and password. Inside the 10th-floor-studio-apartment-turned-bistro guests were greeted, asked to remove their shoes, and shown to their table, which were custom built, short “floor” tables with pillows for your bum and candlelight. Other unusual qualities of Kindle Cafe included bamboo utensils and a “thumbs up” if you began eating with your right hand – Indian style.
The question of the interested epicure is always, “How do I hear about Supper Clubs in my area and get on their lists?”
With their increasing popularity and the advent of social network sites it is now easier than ever to find Supper Clubs. But it still requires a fair amount of sleuthing, which is a a fun part of dining on the edge.
Please inquire with the Chef at Kindle Cafe if you would like to become a member and receive invitations to Kindle Cafe Supper Club events.
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