Filtering by Tag: Pop-Up Dinner,Chef

Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events, Game Dinners, And Festivals for November 17-24

Events Features EVENT News Pop-Up Dinner Pop-Up Bar Happy Hour

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Kombucha is delicious and nutritious!  Cross Culture Kombucha Taproom & Brewery will teach you how to make your own at home in their Kombucha Homebrewing Workshop on November 21.

On Tuesday November 19, Fairfield Cheese Company hosts an evening all about Cheese and Wine of The French Alps.  Join them from 7-9pm for $50 per person. 

The Taps & Trees Craft Beer Festival returns to the Danbury Sports Dome on Saturday November 23.


Chef's Tasting at The Spread Greenwich with Chef Carlos Baez

Restaurant Chef Pop-Up Dinner Chef's Tasting Greenwich

Stephanie Webster

Let’s be real. Dining out is always a treat. You don’t have to clean up afterwards, and if you’re like me, the menu at almost ANY restaurant is going to surpass what’s going on in my own kitchen. However, if you’re a diner who appreciates experiencing the mind of chef who is executing dishes that are inspired by the season, an “aha” moment, or a desire to experiment, a Chef’s Tasting is the way to take dining to the next level.

It was with this in mind, that I attended Chef Carlos Baez’ monthly Chef’s Table Tasting Dinner, held on the last Thursday of every month at The Spread’s Greenwich location.


Hosting a Traditional Filipino Kamayan Feast at SoNo 1420

Features Pop-Up Dinner Cocktails Filipino Food Truck

Andrew Dominick

One of the ways to celebrate Filipino American History Month (every October) is with a kamayan meal. A what? Don’t worry, when I was asked to attend one, my response was, “What’s that now?” And I do have a few Filipino friends, including those who invited me to this one, my first one. 

There was a kamayan dinner and it was held in South Norwalk. The event, hosted by Chris Gonzalez of Hapa Food Truck with public relations pro and event planner Ria Rueda, was the first of its kind in the area, not counting the off chance you’ve attended one at a friend’s house. 


Filipindian Pop Up with Sherkaan + Kawit! + More to Come in New Haven

Features Restaurant Pop-Up Dinner Indian New Haven Filipino Catering Caterers

Kristin L. Wolfe

At Sherkaan’s first pop-up last Thursday night, the Flipindian Feast, I had to swim through the the hungry crowd and make my way to, literally, the last seat available at the long copper bar. From the pervading tiger logo (Sherkaan means Tiger King in Hindi) and hindi phrases on the walls, to the cascade of bicycles hanging from the ceiling, diners are definitely transported to the packed spaces of a Southeast Asian hot spot. In addition to all the things to look at, pungent spices filled the room; they were so entrenched in the air that my hair smelled of them the next morning.


Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For Week of October 20-27

Features Events Events News Pop-Up Dinner Wine Dinners Festival

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Get egg-cited… the Tasty Yolk storefront opens for business on Tuesday October 22!  Check them out at 2992 Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport.

From Wednesday October 23 through Friday October 25, Norwalk Now presents CRUSH: A Celebration of Beer, Wine, and Spirits.  Norwalk restaurants and businesses are opening their doors for demonstrations, tastings, seminars, and other events inspired by these tasty adult beverages. 

Wednesday October 23 marks Brasitas’s first Wine Dinner of the season.  The five course meal will compliment wines from Napa Valley.  Tickets are $75 per person and space is limited. 


Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For September 22-29

Features Events Events News Pop-Up Dinner Wine Dinners

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

You still have time to partake in “Taste of the Suburbs” presented by CTNow.  Through September 29, participating restaurants will offer special multi-course, price-fixed tasting menus.  Visit hotspots like Millwrights, Bistro on Main, Carbone’s, and more. 

Every Wednesday from Sept 25 through November 13 a new chef will bring their culinary POV to Amis Trattoria in Westport in their new Guest Chef Pop-Up, where chefs create a menu of specials that fuses their style with the Italian flair of Amis.  On September 25, they welcome Robin Selden of Naked Fig Catering. 

Enjoy a Spanish Evening of Cheese and Wine at the Farmington Polo Grounds on Wednesday September 25.  Start the evening with a prosecco toast under the tent watching the polo game. Then, a professional cheesemonger will guide you through a selection of artisanal Spanish cheeses and pairings of locally made jams, pickles charcuterie... and of course, wine! 

The Westport Farmer’s Market’s Fork It Over Party in the Parking Lot goes down on Thursday September 26.  Partake in dinner, drinks, and music in a picturesque setting… and all to support the market.  This year, witness the Chef-at-the-Market finale! 


Guest Chef Dinner Series @ Amis Trattoria w/ New Executive Chef Jes Bengston + Amazing Guest Chef Lineup

Features Pop-Up Dinner Celebrity Chef Chef Openings Westport

Stephanie Webster

Executive Chef of the Terrain Cafe brand, Jes Bengston, has just been appointed as the regional head chef for Westport’s Amis Trattoria, in addition to continuing her role at Terrain Café. She will oversee both restaurants (under the Urban Outfitters umbrella) in the CT region. To celebrate, she rolling out an exciting new Guest Chef Dinner Series: Friends + Neighbors. 

Every Wednesday from Sept 25 through November 13 a new chef will bring their culinary POV by creating a menu of specials that fuses their style with the Italian flair of Amis. Diners can expect some creative dishes that push the boundaries of what can typically be found at Amis + an opportunity to rub elbows with both Jes and her chef friends. Check out the schedule below. This is gonna be fun people…


Geoff Lazlo Hosts Dinner Series at Greenwich Botanical Center

Features Pop-Up Dinner Greenwich Caterers Catering Events

Andrew Dominick

If you were fortunate enough to try Geoff Lazlo’s food at Mill Street Bar & Table—or at The Whelk and LeFarm prior to that—you know to expect fresh, seasonal food from the restaurant chef turned private chef and caterer. With his latest endeavor, Geoff Lazlo Food, he’s popping up at venues all over Fairfield County and beyond. These days you’ll catch Lazlo flashing his skills at places that practice and preach sustainability like Mike’s Organic Delivery, The Hickories, Millstone Farm, and he even returned to cook at one of Gramercy Tavern’s 25th anniversary alumni nights where he was a sous chef for four years. 


The Perfect Provenance’s Café 47 Hosts Exceptional Monthly Dinner Tasting

Restaurant Greenwich Pop-Up Dinner

Andrew Dominick

Exclusivity when dining out has a way of making us feel special. The smaller, the better. It’s like being part of a special club. It’s cool knowing that at that very moment, in a space half the size of a normal living room, that you and 20 people are the only ones that get to take part in an intimate dinner. 

Most often the problem is that “exclusive” equates to “EXPENSIVE.” 

That brings us to Greenwich! Wait, before you think this is going to be some $150 per person affair, you’re so very wrong. 

What if I told you that there’s a great four-course tasting menu offered on the first Friday and Saturday of every month for $65? 

If eating out is your thing, I bet you’d be intrigued. What am I saying? It’s Fairfield County, of course eating out is your thing. 

Would it be crazier if I mentioned that it goes down at a luxury lifestyle boutique store? And that it’s BYOB? Bet you didn’t see those swerves coming. 


Chef-at-the-Market Competition @ Westport Farmers' Market

Features Farmers Market Chef

Maddie Phelps

Watching the chefs of the hit TV show “Chopped” scramble to cook up their finest creations while the clock ticks away is truly entertaining. But watching such a competition in real life takes the cake. While the Westport Farmers’ Market didn’t bring the cast, crew, and chefs of “Chopped” to downtown Westport, they did emulate the cook-off with their very own version: “The Chef at the Market Competition.” Here’s a recap of the first “Chef At The Market” throw down, but there are many more to come. Check out the schedule below.


"Max Chef to Farm" Pop-Up Dinners At The Farm June-August 2019 Schedule

Features Farm Dinner Pop-Up Dinner CT Farms Farm to Table

CTbites Team

Max Chef to Farm, an award-winning group of events that celebrate the amazing food grown in our backyard, is heading into their 12th year. Guests are transported directly to the farm to experience seasonal and local food.  Their dinners are multi-course feasts showcasing the delicious bounty of Connecticut-grown produce and other locally-sourced ingredients prepared on site by Chef Steve Michalewicz of Max Catering & Events, Chef Hunter Morton, Culinary Director of the Max Restaurant Group, and the entire Max Chef to Farm team.

Max Chef to Farm dinners are adventurous events that celebrate and support CT-grown products. Their host farm for most events this season is the 160-acre Rosedale Farms, located in Simsbury, CT. They have many things in common with the Max Restaurant Group including a commitment to using sustainable farming and business practices. Speaking of support...


Chef Billy Grant Hosts Pop-Up Farm Dinner Series at Rose's Berry Farm

Features Farm Dinner Pop-Up Dinner South Glastonbury CT Farms Italian

CTbites Team

Chef Billy Grant and his Chefs Corey Cannon of Bricco Trattoria, and Jon Gyles of Bricco West Hartford invite you to join them for their Summer 2019 Farm Dinner series at Rose’s Berry Farm, in South Glastonbury. Every Farm dinner features a creative menu with ingredients sourced from a multitude of CT farms, and includes passed and stationed hors d’ oeuvres, multi-course dinner, dessert, creative cocktails, craft beers, and vino!  

Price per person is $89 plus 18% tax and gratuity (all alcohol is included). Reservations recommended and can be purchased online at www.billygrant.com or by emailing catering director Michelle McMahon at michelle@billygrant.com.


Don't Miss Chef Jeff Taibe's Monthly Bushido Pop-Up Dinner at Taproot in Bethel

Restaurant Bethel Japanese Organic Local Artisan Sushi Pop-Up Dinner Homepage

Andrew Dominick

When Jeff Taibe opened Taproot in the second half of 2017, our Amy Kundrat summed up this Fairfield County gem beautifully. “Creative, seasonal, down-to-Earth, and hyper-local” (because damn near every ingredient comes from Connecticut farms) are all words she used. That summation is dead-on accurate. 

And yeah, you should run there. I wish I listened to her closing sentence and didn’t wait so long for a stellar culinary experience. Bethel isn’t THAT far, and Taproot is worth the drive. When I did go, I deserved the ribbing. “Hey, man! It only took you a f*cking year to get here!” Taibe joked. 

From the shareable, addictive apps, to carefully crafted cocktails, and braised pork cheeks that flaked apart with a slight twist of my fork, it was my favorite meal in Connecticut in 2018. 

All of the above is a well-deserved shout-out, but I’m not giving you a Taproot update. I’m dishing on the restaurant’s one-Sunday-per-month mood swing called “Bushido.” 

Bushido, as you can probably surmise, is a Japanese pop-up concept. The birth of Bushido is a story in itself. 


It's A Woman's World: Kaline Capps, Executive Chef, Barcelona Wine Bar

Features Interview Chef Talk Chef Homepage

CTbites Team

Fairfield County is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why, with 2018 being proclaimed the Year of the Woman, we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us.  

Our series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ is devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.

How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature Kaline Capps, Executive Chef, Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant in Norwalk. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com


It's A Woman's World: Jes Bengsten of Terrain

Features Chef Interview

CTbites Team

Fairfield County is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why, with 2018 being proclaimed the Year of the Woman, we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us.  

Our series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ is devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.

How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature Jes Bengsten, Chef at Terrain Garden Café. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com


Jes Bengston Cooks The James Beard House August 6 Featuring CT's Land & Sea

Features Chef Dinner Events

Stephanie Webster

One of our favorite chefs and a passionate supporter of the local CT food community, Jes Bengston, of Terrain Garden Café, will be cooking The James Beard House on August 6th.  Nestled in the beachside town of Westport, Terrain is a luxury garden center that celebrates nature and all its bounty—including on the menu of its charming cafe. Join Jes Bengston, as she returns to the Beard House with her plant-based, homegrown harvest for a summer exploration of the best from southern Connecticut’s land and sea, paired with superb Napa-style wines from local Jonathan Edwards Winery. Ticket info here


Chef Geoff Lazlo: At The James Beard House & Beyond

Features Chef Chef Talk

Lou Gorfain

After 18 years of 80 hour weeks in the kitchen, Chef Geoff Lazlo needed a break. It’s what kids call “a gap year,” a sabbatical before taking on the next challenge in their lives. For Lazlo that time off would offer a chance to relax with his family, reassess his options, and realize his dreams. 

Let’s start there, with the first of his fantasies.

Though he had worked with the likes of Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, Michael Anthony at Gramercy Tavern, Dan Barber at Stone Barns, and Bill Taibe at The Whelk, as well as running his own award-winning restaurant, the acclaimed Mill Street Bar and Table in Greenwich, Lazlo had always dreamed of cooking an elaborate feast at the James Beard House in New York City. 


Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield Welcomes New Executive Chef Zach Campion

Features Chef Ridgefield

CTbites Team

Nearly 20 years ago, a neighborhood coffee shop was transformed into a charming New American restaurant. The concept was a simple one; a seasonal menu presented in a relaxed atmosphere; a concept that would grow with the town; and a restaurant where a chef’s creativity could shine. Owner Sal Bagliavio opened Bailey’s Backyard in October of 1999 and continues to make his culinary mark on the town of Ridgefield, CT.

Today, this seasoned restaurateur is joined by Executive Chef Zach Campion, a Johnson & Whales alumn with kitchen cred that includes; Local 121 in Providence, RI whose concept was tagged as “locally harvested food and drink”; the ground-breaking Metro Bis in Simsbury, CT under the direction of Chef Christopher Prosperi; and continued to hone his craft in the kitchen of ON20 restaurant, a Hartford, CT culinary institution.


It's a Woman's World: Debra Ponzek, Aux Delices Foods

Features Interview Chef Catering

CTbites Team

Fairfield County is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why, with 2018 being proclaimed the Year of the Woman, we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us.  

Our series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ is devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.

How'd they do it? Read on. This week, our focus turns to Debra Ponzek, Chef/Owner of Aux Delices Foods. Have a suggestion on someone you’d like to see featured? Email steph@ctbites.com.