Let me preface this post by saying that I am not, nor claim or aspire to be, a food critic. However, I recently attended my first pop-up supper, presented by Ryan Ochsner and Cayce Terrill Wilson of Break & Gather, and can’t help but share the highlights with you. It was a five-star experience that I’ll never forget – and, no, I wasn’t paid to recap it here.
My interest piqued as soon as I stepped foot in the venue, a commercial kitchen located just 5.4 miles from where I live. A communal table was set with tea light candles, handwritten place cards and menus made and designed by the chefs themselves. (What don’t they do?) As the evening progressed, I was only further impressed by the duo.
For example, you might be interested to learn:
- Ryan and Cayce are both marketing team leaders by day – and cook and entertain in their spare time. They’re not professionally trained in the culinary arts, but you’d never know by the dishes they put before you.
- These guys also bake. Break & Gather sources ingredients with care and formulates flavor combinations that will tickle your taste buds. Just wait until you see their handiwork below.
- They’re gracious hosts. Ryan and Cayce dominate in the back of the house but are not at all arrogant. If you have questions during the service, ask away! They’re both more than happy to share their knowledge of and passion for food with you.
But enough rambling. Here’s a rundown of the fried chicken meal to peruse – descriptions are pulled from the menu. And, since I wasn’t taking notes, I won’t try to recount the inspiration behind each course – you’ll just have to attend a Break & Gather event to get the scoop!
Amuse: Pimento cheese with pickled ramps and charcoal crackers
Break: Buttermilk biscuit, smoked ham and B&G fruit preserves (which I could eat by the spoonful)
Something green: Baby kale salad, Anson Mills cornbread croutons and bacon-jalapeño vinaigrette – I love salad and this mix of crunchy cornmeal nuggets, bacon and tangy dressing blew me away. It even inspired me to pick up a tub of baby kale, an ingredient I’ve never used before, the following day.
Buttermilk fried chicken with honey and black pepper and creamed corn
Nashville hot chicken with gochujang and molasses and fried B&G pickles – This fried chicken rendition, hands down, was a favorite. I’m convinced Ryan and Cayce could bottle and sell the sauce for a living.
NYC fried chicken with usukuchi vinaigrette and Anson Mills rice grits with nori butter – All I can say about this dish is, more grits, please.
Red velvet: Valrhona chocolate and beet ganache with Humboldt Fog ice cream and cocoa-beet crumbs – Despite a full belly, I managed to lick my plate clean.
And the icing on the cake? The event is BYOW, which means your dining dollars go to food versus pricey libations, which is always a good thing.
P.S. A big thank you to my local Whole Foods for inviting me to the pop-up supper – it was amazing! Jason enjoyed every last bite of my doggy bag, too.
Thanks for sharing!