Tuesday 9 June 2009

IF I COULD, WOULD I?

I have to say that I am really proud of being part of the Evocative Foods team. I am kind of perfectionist also and I think that a lot of things could have been done better but a friend reminded me yesterday that it was a CLASS PROJECT!!

We really pushed the briefing forward, that is why we see that things weren't professional enough but, in general, people had fun, enjoyed the experience (the food, the place, the images) and talked between them!!

In my opinion, we SHOULD GO for another one but there are some points I would like to remark (my opinion):
- We should be more conscious of the budget at all times (if we want to be professional, let's be professional with everything)
- We need to anticipate any creative material in order to approve it before and have more time to improve and correct!
- Things out of control: It wasn't our fault that food wasn't ready, next time we will be aware of this fact and have, at least, the cocktails and some dishes served by the official opening time (we organized it to start at 7 so basic things should be ready for 7)

But, in general, really GOOD JOB!! I have to say that my contacts said that we really proposed a different concept in there. They loved the place, the visuals, the kind of dishes we were serving and our efforts. Of course, they had to wait a bit at the beginning, but it was not the end of the world for them!

We should learn from criticism but REMEMBER, CONSTRUCTIVE ONE, I don't think the negative review was very constructive...it pointed out some good points about organization that we should take into account but in a destructive way and really, if you don't understand a concept, you can never say how to improve it, you are not adding value!!

MLL

Monday 8 June 2009

The good, the ok, and the ugly

A few reviews are in:

Meaghan of Spoonfed wrote on her personal blog a very kind review.

Chris of Londonist made a brief report and also took some great photos.

Andrew Webb wrote on his blog Eyedropper about how much the whole thing sucked and his friends thanked him for bringing ham to snack on in the comments.

I can take compliments and criticism, but neither are really easy to hear when I'm a bit of a perfectionist and feel that things could be done better, but also know that some things that need improving arent in my control.

I cant speak for the rest of the team, but it was a learning experience and a lot of things happened in the last few days before the event that caused us to be spread thin.

On Thursday we had a plan. We had a chart of stations, how to conduct flow, and how to make sure everyone received their tastings.

We got ambushed.

But I admit Andrew is correct when he says we failed at having at least the cocktails ready. I think we were a little surprised about this too, but I figured it'd be under control by the time the first...uh oh...people are coming in and ... well, if you were there you know what happened.

I've hosted plenty of dinner parties. I put my name out there on this thing. I was not going to go down without a fight. What's funny is that we all had friends there who were willing to be patient, enjoy the company of others, and have fun. There were a few people who seemed to miss the point of the experience, or perhaps just didnt understand it. Fine. But ya know what: ASK!

This was not a smoothly run process. We spent more time in the kitchen than we did getting to mingle and see what people were thinking. This is what our tutors would call 'artefact iteration' where we test our ideas, incorporate the feedback, and try again.

While this has been designed as a series, who knows when/if another will happen. I'd like the opportunity to try again and get it right, but the other part of me is now scared that if it still doesnt go well that I'll feel a sense of failure.

We worked hard. Really hard. Yes, there were typos in the book (our control) and not enough alcohol (budget controlled), but there were people who came, ate, and enjoyed and I need to concentrate on those people who really gave the experience a chance and not let one negative voice break me.

km

Friday 5 June 2009

And now we sleep....

After the explosive event we held yesterday, I am now ready to sleep...the excitement preceding the event caused a lot of inner tension and worries and that can now be released and I think I can safely say, that for myself and all of the team - what a wonderful evening!
As Maria has said, it was hard work, I myself seemed to spend the night drying the never ending circulation of plates...so didn't get to experience it fully but from what people said, the atmosphere and the fact that we pratically had to kick people out and back to their homes shows what a success this event has been!!! Thank you so much to everyone that helped, and the wonderful team of which I was lucky enough to be part of, working with you all has been wonderful. And now we can sleep...
KR

VIBRANT EVENING

And now it is over!! We worked a lot, helped a lot in the kitchen so I can't really say how the event went, I was preparing and serving creations!! ;)

I really think that, although we discovered several mistakes and understood how things could have been better, we really made SOMETHING, something differente, enchanting and new!!

I am really proud of us and have to thank you all team for your effort!
It has been a pleasure working for you and I hope we can repeat it soon!!

MLL

Thursday 4 June 2009

Today's the Day!

After lots of little meetings, from Tuesday at Nuno's to last night's whispers during class, today has arrived and it's GO TIME!

The plan is to meet at Nuno's at 2pm to prepare the space. We will be setting up the reception area, projector, moving some furniture, testing the sound and making sure Nuno has all the items he needs.

Then, we'll take a short break to freshen up and change clothes for the event. The idea is to wear black with some bright accessories. We want people to identify us quickly, hence the opposite color of our event's colors. Besides, no one wanted to wear matching shirts!

We have bags to sell and an awesome publication for the attendees to keep to read about our journey, and more importantly, and see the menu for the evening.

We are still receiving messages from people wanting to come and people asking to be on the mailing list. I even have a few asking about future dates.

This has been an excellent learning experience. We're already kicking ourselves about the cost of certain things, so we'll know for next time how to set the budget more appropriately. This has probably been one of the most educating experiences for us - business, marketing, retail, design and PR are all part of this.

Here's looking forward to tonight!!!

km

Wednesday 20 May 2009

SOLD OUT

We sold out the event tonight. In fact, we're oversold +2. Suberb!

We had a great team meeting. The visuals are going to be assembled by Valentina using color blocks and textured movement. Music/sound is being worked on by Kristy and her partner. Rein and Maria are taking Friday to workshop the menu and info publication. Alex is dealing with PayPal and bank account fun stuff. Pic and Yui are doing a fantastic job coming up with flow charts for the crowd and a check-in procedure, and all around ambiance. I am going to get all the contacts sorted to send out an email to next week that will begin their journey.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks since we went live and we've had some great feedback, some interesting correspondence, and even some business proposals. It's great. I'm really feeling like this is really coming together.

We're looking forward to Nuno's safe return from Kenya tomorrow and meeting with him again soon to wrap up some last details before game time.

I still want to say a big thank you to the team for sticking with the project during this hectic time of getting our MA questions defined. You all are great.

km

Nuno's Excellent Review!

The Loft is our little secret
Restaurant Reviews: The Loft
By MARINA O’LOUGHLIN - Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Shhh: Here’s a tantalising glimpse of the wildly innovative and exciting restaurant The Loft

There's an entertaining book by James Delingpole called Fish Show, in which a disaffected restaurant critic starts making up reviews of an increasingly lunatic nature. To his astonishment and horror, the bizarre establishments he invents begin to appear in real life. Pure, bonkers fantasy, of course.

Ahem. On April 1, I inflicted on you my own invented gaff, The Vault, a private restaurant and closely guarded secret I'd unearthed on Twitter, where the classically trained chef imposed dishes of a challenging and technically brilliant nature on his captive (literally) audience of wealthy foodies.

Perhaps as an apology to all of you who were worryingly keen to be subjected to The Vault's dubious charms (especially the chap really keen to work there; something about the manacles, I'm guessing), I bring you The Loft.

Underground restaurant, no publicity; chef Nuno Mendes trained at the legendary El Bulli, disovered via stray tweet (thanks @londonelicious or @MsMarmitelover or whoever it was). Course after course of extraordinary, sometimes demanding food. Nosebleeding bill. The only thing missing is the handcuffs.

I first encountered Mendes's food in the short-lived, brave Bacchus in Shoreditch and came away goggle-eyed. Now, in a small domestic kitchen in a funky East End loft-style development, he's churning out stuff that's every bit as out there: 12 courses, each one more abstruse than the last, all flawlessly presented, exactingly executed and wildly innovative.

Twelve courses, each one more abstruse than the last, all flawlessly presented, exactingly executed and wildly innovative

There's only the one table. At first, it's like being at a slightly awkward dinner party with strangers and a host who's permanently glued to the stove. Retrospectively, I wish I'd been nosier and glued myself in there with him, but hey.

Things relax over cocktails – lychee, lemongrass with a slick of hazelnut oil – and glorious, fluffy, saffrony cheesey gougères, like the poshest Portuguese pão de queijo. And croutons with rich, garlicky romesco. So far, so normal. Then the food proper starts arriving – over five hours of it, each course with matching wines.

A blow-by-blow account would be overkill but if I say that the most conventional dish is called Thai Explosion With Chicken Skin, it might give you an inkling of what we're in for.

How about this? Milk Yuba – milk skin harvested and rolled like Japanese soy-tofu skin – with slippery hearts of leek, a curl of perfectly smoky seared squid echoing the smokiness of mushroom consommé, dotted with delicate flavour bombs of garlic blossom.

Or this doozy: Oysters And Onions, Old And New? An oyster glazed with cheese – the perfect encapsulation of 'fifth taste' umami – with what looks like an egg yolk but is actually onion purée 'spherified'; super-dried onion dust; and, poured over the top, dark brown, onion-flavoured tapioca pearls. If any of this sounds as though it's verging on the vile (and I'm aware it might), be assured that nothing could be further from the truth.

There are prawns served with pipettes of prawn essence, for injecting the crustacean or squirting straight down your gullet. Puddings made with orange pith (surprisingly gorgeous) or candied black olives. There are sightings of umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) and sobrasada (a spreadable sausage) oil and Portuguese chawanmushi (savoury custard).

It's less like dinner and more like a kind of drug-induced happening. How the hell does the charming, self-deprecating Nuno do it?

Just like the fictional Vault, we reel into the street, dizzied by what we've experienced. But, unlike my fantasy, it's an experience I can't wait to repeat. And when Nuno's new restaurant, Viajante, opens in Bethnal Green in 2010, I'm so there.

A meal for two with all wines and water costs £200 (advance booking essential). The Loft, Unit 2a, 315 Kingsland Road. www.nunomendes.co.uk Tube: Old Street