Thoughts on pop up dining trend

I've been reading LTH for a while now, and I'm very interested in the unique culinary scene that Chicago provides. I'm currently pursuing my MBA at Kellogg (part of Northwestern), and I'm in a class where I am examining the pop up dining trend in Chicago.

What do you think is the most important part of a pop up dinner? Is it the food, the atmosphere, the people, the interaction with the chef, the sometimes mystery location, the recommendation of friends or the media, etc.? What makes you want to attend a pop up?

I really appreciate the feedback!

We know what Kellogg is. We live here. You don't need to explain it to us any more than you need to explain to a Philadelphian what Wharton is.

It might help to clarify what you mean by "pop-up." They can take on a few distinct forms, such as:

a) a temporary alternative location for an existing restaurant that is well-publicized in advance, possibly looking to test the market in said temporary location;

b) a temporary location, also typically well-publicized in advance, for a well-known chef who may be in between assignments and/or looking to establish his/her own restaurant;

c) a temporary collaboration between well-known chefs and/or restaurants sometimes hosted at a third-party site; or

d) "Fight Club" pop-ups by would-be up-and-comers that are secretive, invitation-only affairs and fly under the radar not just of the general public but also of various government tax/inspection/regulatory institutions. These are the culinary equivalent of would-be rappers trying to build buzz with mixtapes and word-of-mouth.

Which one(s) of the above are you interested in?

Every once in a while, Heather & D'Andre (both veterans of Moto restaurant, among others) have pop-up meals, although their primary business is catering. The company is called Feast & Imbibe; they're located not far from Northwestern in Evanston. You might want to sign up for their mailing list.

The interactions with the chef, the unexpectedly creative menus, and the camaraderie with other diners make it special. I had a birthday dinner at one of their popups one time, and brought a bottle of Malört to challenge D'Andre to see what he'd do with it. He'd never tried it before, and it can be a challenging ingredient to deal with, but he used it in a spectacular sauce with minced apple. Fun.

For me, the lure of the pop-up is mainly about experiencing the work of a known chef in an unfamiliar (to him or her) environment. Whether that be in someone else's restaurant, a non-traditional location or in collaboration with other chefs. For me personally, the secret supper clubs and dining societies have never held much appeal.

=R=

I first met and discovered the tremendous talents of Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo, now the proprietors of Fat Rice, via their underground restaurant, X Marx--and enjoyed some of the most wonderful meals I've ever had in that venue. And one of my very favorite restaurants, El Ideas, started similarly and occasionally hosts "pop-up" collaborations with other chefs from around the world. I never experienced the pop-up/underground concepts hosted by Jake Bicklhaupt or Iliana Regan but there is a lot of positive commentary on here and elsewhere about both when they were getting started out of their apartments.

I think the allure is getting to be the Guinea pigs for ambitious, talented chefs who have the cojones to start grassroots and build both their skill and fan/investor base, one meal at a time. The dinners are also much more intimate and entertaining than your typical restaurant meal. I haven't been to any pop up/underground dinners in years though--not sure why, other than I can barely find time to go to the traditional restaurants I love or want to try.

And, I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with noting that Kellogg is NW--congrats on attending such a prestigious program and best of luck with your class!

And, I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with noting that Kellogg is NW--congrats on attending such a prestigious program and best of luck with your class!

NU. Not NW. They are very touchy about that. "Northwestern" is one word.

I really appreciate the feedback and the constructive criticism about better defining what a pop up dinner is to me and in relation to my marketing research project. I was thinking about up and coming chefs that use the pop up dining concept as a spring board to their future restaurant. With their pop ups they are able to refine their menu creation skills, learn restaurant management on a smaller scale, and build a following.

I would really appreciate any additional thoughts on what would drive you to attend a pop up like the one I just described. For me its about the food and checking out an up and coming chef.

Thanks for all the help!

thanks, @nr706 for the shoutout. I'm Heather, of Heather & D'Andre from Feast & Imbibe. Happy to chat with you about popups, if you are so inclined, and how they spring boarded our current business. We certainly began as an underground dinner club and now host the occasional pop up in our space.