Sunday, October 14, 2012

Saturday Adventure: Vivek's Supper Club at the Nashville Farmer's Market

Relaunching this blog last year (and yes, I know I've fallen behind in posting, new job and all that), I simultaneously began to follow blogs and Twitter accounts of several pro and amateur foodies in Nashville. One of them, Vivek Surti, does a monthly supper club at the Grow Local Kitchen at the Nashville Farmer's Market. Anyone can buy a ticket and experience a wonderful parade of courses prepared by Vivek, a talented amateur cook. This week Vivek posted a call for helpers. Not having anything else to do, and curious to see the event and kitchen first hand, I signed up.

I've worked in food service before (in the distant, distant past) and count relatives and friends as current or past restaurant veterans. So, the work was familiar to me. I did everything from help with simple prep and food plating to serving, water-glass filling, and dish washing. Vivek had other helpers - the lovely Julia, as well as the Grow Local Kitchen manager herself, local legend Chef Laura Wilson. Everyone was lovely, and Vivek's style is much more relaxed and easy-going than mine ... I can get a bit frantic when preparing a large meal for a lot of guests! The meal was terrific, and the beverage pairings by his friend Ryan Moses (and friend David) of Drink Music City were creative, well-matched, and ... delicious!

I enjoyed the opportunity to meet Vivek and the others, not to mention the opportunity to sample such interesting, inventive food and drink. The experience has started my own creative juices flowing again, Menu & (cell phone) pics below!


Captain Aviator -- fizzy & delicious, even to this non-gin drinker
Oysters!
Vivek makin' potato chips
Tandoori-spiced chips with chunky aioli
Pouring out the butternut squash bisque
The finished soup

Cooking shrimp, raw shrimp, cooked shrimp
Roasted chicken and salad
Apple cake waiting on its drizzle of honey
Vivek & his patrons (Ryan in the back, standing, in striped shirt)



4 comments:

Vivek said...

Great write up, Tracey! Was a pleasure having you join our team this weekend.

Aging Ophelia said...

What fun! And what a lively menu. Thanks for an interesting post, and great slice-of-life pics.

Lesley Eats said...

Oh yeah, I'm like you; I don't want anyone around me in the kitchen at all. They will get stepped on or yelled at. I don't know how chefs do it. Though I do think a fair number of them yell a lot.

Hoping I can go to the November Supper Club. It's the last of the year and I still haven't been!

TLF said...

I don't mind people in the kitchen, I just get frazzled. LOL