February and March dinner updates.

Dinners for February are fully booked.  Wait list only.

Reservations for Sunday, March 20th are now available. Dinner on Saturday, March 19th is fully booked. The menu for March dinners will be available soon.

Please email trevormsparks@gmail.com for reservations, questions, and menu inquiries. 

I want to cook for you and your friends (FEB 2016).

As I continue on my quest to cook for you and your friends in 2016, I must first say THANK YOU for your overwhelming support and encouragement after my initial post. I am filled with joy embarking on this endeavor and have been inspired by cooking for many of you in times past and for numerous different occasions. 

In the last week, a number of good questions came up about these monthly dinners, so let me answer a few of the most common questions:

• The dinners will take place in my apartment, located at 1205 7th Street NW, but I can be available to cater dinners at a different location or in your home upon request.

• Guests are asked to arrive at 6:30pm. Seating for dinner will be at 7pm. Once seated, the dining experience will last approximately 75-90 minutes, so please plan accordingly. Following the conclusion of dinner, guests are welcome to stay and share their thoughts and ideas for improvements.

• I will greet all guests, take their coats or jackets, and pour them a glass of wine, but then I must return to the kitchen and continue with meal preparations. It is kindly requested that guests limit their time in the kitchen due to space limitations, the chef's focus, and meal preparations that will require the full use of the kitchen.

• Lastly, I will have a fish entrée and a vegetarian entrée in the months ahead, so please stay tuned for those menus and make your reservations accordingly. 

After much consideration, and in consultation with a few very interested guests, I am delighted to share the dinner menu for Saturday, February 27th and Sunday, February 28th:

French Endive, Orange, and Walnut Salad with Honey Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Braised Lamb, Cauliflower Gratin with Turmeric and Hazelnut, Lemon Garlic Green Beans

Carrot Cake with Caramelized Pineapple and Nutmeg Cream Cheese Frosting

Reservations can be made for up to six people on Saturday, February 27th and Sunday, February 28th. The cost is $38 per guest. Full details for the dining experience, payment, wine pairings, and cancellation policy will be shared in email reply to each reservation request. The menu for Saturday, January 23rd and Sunday, January 24th (Sunday is fully booked) is as follows:

Orange Roasted Beet Salad with Rocket Greens, Goat Cheese and House-made Vinaigrette

Utica Greens Stuffed Veal, Brussels Sprouts Mash, Seasonal Vegetable Bake

Seasonal Fruit Tart Tatin with Vanilla Bean Gelato

The weekends I will be hosting dinners for the first half of 2016 are as follows:

March 19th & 20th

April 23rd & 24th

May 21st & 22nd

June 25th & 26th

Reservation requests can be made as far in advance as requested by emailing trevormsparks@gmail.com. Full payment is required one week before your dinner. Thank you all again for your support, and I so look forward to cooking for you in 2016!

I want to cook for you and your friends.

In 2015, there was something I returned to again and again (and again!), but I never fully acted on it. This year, among other goals and aspirations, I resolve to make this one thing happen because I thought about it and studied it more than anything else last year. It also came up in conversation with many groups of friends and family, and I was encouraged time after time to pursue it. I even mapped out a business plan for a related venture with my close friend. My idea has been simple from the start:

I want to cook for you and your friends.

I want to do something you've likely enjoyed in past experiences with supper clubs, dinner parties, going to a local pop-up, or even coming over for a meal--all incredibly fun! But this is no potluck, friends...What I will do is cook a three-course meal (appetizer, main course, and dessert) for six guests on a Saturday and a Sunday evening one weekend a month. The menu for January 23rd and 24th is as follows:

Orange Roasted Beet Salad with Rocket Greens, Goat Cheese, House-made Vinaigrette 

Utica Greens Stuffed Veal, Brussels Sprouts Mash, Seasonal Vegetable Bake

Seasonal Fruit Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Bean Gelato

I've priced the dinners in January and February at $38 per person. BYOB/W is recommended (no beverage license, yet!). Handcrafted cocktails, wine pairings, and/or coffee with your dessert are each available if arrangements are made in advance. 

The catch to these dinners is that I won't dine with you but will instead cook the entire meal from start to finish, pour your wine, and clean up everything. This is how it has to be and why it will be different from you coming over for a meal like in times past. This will be a fun experience, something new to do with your closest (or new!) friends, and you will support my passion. Added bonus: January dinner guests will help me brand it for 2016!

It will be one of the most private and intimate dinners you will find in Shaw this year.

Please email me (trevormsparks@gmail.com) if you and friends are interested in making reservations for January 23rd or 24th or if you'd like to reserve in advance for February 27th or 28th (menu forthcoming, reservation confirmation required after posting). 

Now the fine print: I will post an update here once the reservations for each night have been filled. Full payment required one week in advance. Agreement with terms, conditions, and cancellation policies required  on reservation confirmation. Legal jargon, blah blah...more simply: 

I look forward to cooking for you in 2016!

+++

Sunday, January 24th is now fully booked. Wait list only. Spaces are still available for Saturday, January 23rd. Reservations are also now available for February 27th and 28th.