The Kitchen hosts events that use communal cooking and food as the focal point of a creative, immersive dining experience. Read more
The Kitchen hosts events that use communal cooking and food as the focal point of a creative, immersive dining experience.
About this project
The Recipe
15-30 Food Lovers
20-50 Overlapping Tangental Conversations
6 Cooking Anecdotes
8 Excellent Culinary Tips
60 Laughing Spells
1 Case of Good Wine
1 Perfect Menu of Your Choice
Mix well and let marinate for 3-4 hours. Serve and Enjoy!
The Concept
The Kitchen is a participatory dining and event venue located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. We host nightly dinner parties that use communal cooking and food as the focal point of an immersive dining experience. We offer a unique way to gather, celebrate and entertain. There are many places you can go to take a cooking class, but at The Kitchen the focus is on the experience you have when you cook and dine as a group.
Guests will come together with friends (known and yet to be met), family and colleagues to create a meal, enjoy one another’s company and learn a new skill or share a cherished culinary secret. The best part is that when the party is over you don't even have to clean up!
Our schedule includes such cooking events as:
- Dinner Tonight is our answer to the mid-week rut. It is the perfect way to gather with friends for an evening of good food, wine & company. It will feature regional cooking (menus from the south or New England inspired fare) and ethnic cuisine (Northern Italian night featuring rich stews & homemade bread or taco night). Leave your kitchen at home and be part of what we are cooking up!
- Artful Dinner is where we turn the creativity on. You will be able to come together with other food lovers to prepare a menu in response to a shared favorite book or musical genre or perhaps a piece of art work. Can you imagine what the menu for the book "Chocolat" might be? We can!
- RavEnous Dinner features our most cutting edge, eclectic menus for those daring foodies that are looking for an exceptional culinary adventure. Explore the depths of molecular gastronomy, artisanal charcuterie or engage all of your senses by dining in the dark. The excitement is in the mystery at RavEnous Dinner.
- Hangover Brunch--I think we can all recall a time when Saturday morning rolled around and all you could think was "where is the closest place to get a fried egg sandwich and a bloody mary?" Our Hangover Brunch will satisfy your need and give you a little hair of the dog to get you going again...oh and we'll do the cooking on this one.
- Taco Tuesday Take-Out our weekly fiesta where you can choose from traditional latin flavors or sample one of our cultural variations on the theme.
The Location
We are located in German Village (a downtown historic neighborhood) in a building that was once a video store. The building was built in the 1920's and until now has only ever housed retail operations. This being said it requires a full build-out to include a commercial kitchen, 4 new restrooms and an office. Inside those great display windows will be a relaxing lounge area where dinner party guests can meet one another and be oriented to the evenings menu. The building has a terrific view of downtown Columbus, which truly adds to the ambiance of the location.
The open floor plan will accommodate 5 to 6 mobile cook stations (which will be set with all the necessary equipment and recipe components) and a long farm-style dining table for everyone to gather around and toast the success of their dinner. The warm interior design will feature a rustic contemporary feel, an ambiance that will envelope you and provide the perfect surroundings for creativity, camaraderie and an exceptional evening of memory making.
Check out how our good friend describes cooking with us...
http://megmenkedick.tumblr.com/post/35012782492/food-interlude?og=1
And, how New York Times writer Mark Bittman explains the joys of group cooking...
The Need
The Kickstarter money we raise will specifically help us accomplish the many costs associated with opening OUR dream kitchen. This includes:
- furnishings & finishes for our inspiring old building
- architecture design fees
- renovation & construction expenses
- signage
- initial stocking of our pantry
- licenses, insurance and other start-up fees
Risks and challenges
Our biggest, weightiest risk is getting the construction completed on time and on budget. Since we have already taken on a lease it is essential that we complete the build out of our building and stay on budget, so that we can begin hosting cooking events and create a stable revenue stream.
We are prepared to monitor the project closely, make tough decisions and be creative when it comes to accomplishing this goal. For instance, we chose to do some of the demolition work ourselves in an effort to save money and truly have our hands in the project.
Opening a business requires a lot of time and energy. We are both concerned about maintaining our current responsibilities while taking on the additional (albeit exciting) work necessary to get our business up and running. Jen is very focused on remaining on the Dean's List through her final year of culinary school while Anne's responsibilities as a parent of two children are many. We both have always thrived under pressure and expect that our excellent time management skills and incredible community of support around us will allow us to focus on what we need to do to be successful all around.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
Rewards
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Pledge $10 or more
14 backers
A virtual Fist Bump and your name listed on our website and Facebook page with all our fantastic supporters.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $25 or more
72 backers
Your choice of Brunch or Dinner on Us at one of our weekly Taco Tuesday or Hangover Brunch events and an awesome "The Kitchen" logo fridge magnet [NAME LISTED].
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $25 or more
16 backers
For our OUT OF TOWN backers--An awesome "The Kitchen" logo fridge magnet AND our snazzy logo reusable shopping bag. Plus, a dozen of our delicious specialty chocolate chip cookies (if you haven't tried them they are life alteringly good!.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $50 or more
54 backers
A snazzy "The Kitchen" logo reusable shopping bag (perfect for picking up produce from your local farm market) and your choice of Brunch or Dinner on Us (Hangover Brunch or Taco Tuesday event), [MAGNET] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $50 or more
15 backers
For our OUT OF TOWN backers--Not only will you get our wonderful logo gear (magnet and shopping bag) but, you will get two dozen of our chocolate chip cookies and our own signature Kitchen soup blend with one of our most loved recipes. This has serious gift potential for your favorite foodie.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $100 or more
36 backers
Be part of what we are cooking up with registration for one to a participatory dining event of your choice - the event themes vary just as much as the personalities do - choose the one that best suits you! [SHOPPING BAG] [MAGNET] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $250 or more
54 backers Limited (21 left of 75)
Invitation for you and a guest to our exclusive backer's party. This is where we get to show off OUR skills and appreciation for your support of our project. See the space, taste the food, enjoy a night of entertainment in The Kitchen! [SHOPPING BAGS - 2] [ MAGNETS - 2] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $500 or more
12 backers Limited (3 left of 15)
Private 4-course party for 6 to include custom recipe books from the night's dinner and our undying gratitude for being such a tremendously generous and food loving supporter. [SHOPPING BAGS - 6] [MAGNETS - 6] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $1,000 or more
3 backers Limited (7 left of 10)
Double the backing and we'll double the offer! Private 4-course party for 12 to include custom recipe books from the night's dinner and our undying gratitude for being one of our biggest champions. [SHOPPING BAGS - 12] [MAGNETS - 12] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $2,500 or more
2 backers Limited (8 left of 10)
Private 4-course party for 18 to include logo inspired aprons (can you imagine the photo op?), custom recipe books and whatever comes after undying gratitude! [SHOPPING BAGS - 18] [MAGNETS - 18] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers Limited (5 left of 5)
Private 4-course party for 24 to include logo inspired aprons, custom recipe books from the night's dinner as well as a video of your experience in The Kitchen. Imagine the fun that will ensue when you gather your favorite cooking pals together for an unprecedented night of creative culinary inspiration. We will be eternally grateful for your support and the opportunity to entertain you and your guests. [SHOPPING BAGS - 24] [MAGNETS - 24] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $10,000
0 backers Limited (5 left of 5)
Private 5-course party for 30 to include logo inspired aprons, custom recipe books from the night's dinner as well as a commemorative photo book and video of your experience in The Kitchen. This is the perfect way to support our creativity and at the same time feed your own. Milestone event coming up? What a fun way to celebrate it, right? We couldn't begin to thank you enough for supporting us at this level...but we sure will try and hope to impress the pants off of you and your guests at the same time. [SHOPPING BAGS - 30] [MAGNETS - 30] [NAME LISTED]
Estimated delivery:
Funding period
- (40 days)
