spring pop up dinner

everything i made for my first pop up dinner!

last weekend i hosted my first pop up dinner, which has been a dream of mine for quite a while now. everyone i told about this idea asked “what’s a pop up dinner?” fair question!

backing up a tiny bit (and since this is my inaugural substack post), i started doing events / dinner parties / meal delivery about two years ago. in the beginning, i mostly cooked for family and friends (my first-ever client was my uncle), then friends-of-friends, then people i connected with on social media.

i’ve always hesitated to call myself a “private chef” for two reasons. 1) i basically learned how to cook by watching one million tiktoks (shoutout jeremy scheck) and 2) i work a full-time 9-5 in a COMPLETELY unrelated industry. but i love to cook, love to host, and most importantly, love the validation!

through all of this, i really learned the power of putting yourself out there. probably the most potent form of manifesting. when i first started my tiktok account, i didn’t link my phone number so it wouldn’t show up in my contacts’ “people you may know” feed. but guess what. i would NOT be hosting this pop up dinner of my dreams or even writing this post if i hadn’t started the damn account! not only have i gotten countless opportunities from posting online (like cooking for Violet Witchel’s wedding in mendocino), i’ve also met so many incredible, talented, inspiring people (i call them my internet friends).

so back to the pop up dinner! tbh i thought writing a substack would be hard but turns out a girl can yap. inspiration for this dinner came from many fabulous chefs i know in-person and online:

• a couple of chefs from argentina i assisted when i first started out who spend 8 months of the year hosting pop up dinners across the united states

• my friend, emily, who has been killing it hosting supper clubs out of her apartment in sf

• Chloe Walsh’s beautiful pop ups and supper clubs in la, nyc, and beyond

• Isabelle Heikens and her incredible themed dinner parties

• and many, many more!

essentially, a pop up is an event you host in your home or in a restaurant / bar space with a set or limited menu (usually charged per plate). my vision was to bring together a group of strangers and treat it somewhat like a social club. our group was just the BEST and we had such a fabulous time chatting and getting to know each other.

one of my “internet friends,” yasmine (@eatswithyasmine), the ANGEL that she is, very kindly helped me bring this vision to life. she was an absolute dream to work with and it was so nice to have a second pair of hands. it felt like she was inside my brain — she just gets it. she also told me i need to start a substack… and whatever she says goes!

the idea of having full control over the menu and cooking in my own kitchen sounded pretty sweet. once i landed on a theme (spring!) the menu came together so easily. i of course mapped it out in my ride-or-die notion template from Maddy (i can never go back to the notes app). here’s everything i made:

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strawberry rhubarb shrub

serves 8-12

recently have been so into shrubs! if you’re unfamiliar, they’re basically a homemade fruity, vinegary prebiotic soda. you make a sugar syrup with fruit, herbs, or whatever you have on hand, mix it with vinegar (apple cider, champagne, can get creative here), and dilute it with soda water. i like to make the syrup a few days ahead of time to give the vinegar time to mellow out. you can drink it as-is or add some vodka or gin to make it a refreshing cocktail!

• 2 cups strawberries, chopped

• 2 cups rhubarb, chopped

• 1/2 orange, peeled with a vegetable peeler

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 3L sparkling water

• vodka or gin (to taste!)

1. combine chopped strawberries, rhubarb, orange peel, and sugar in two quart-sized deli containers. let sit in the fridge for 1-2 days.

2. remove and discard the orange peel and blend the strawberries and rhubarb using an immersion blender. strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing down the fruit to get every last drop of syrup. stir in the apple cider vinegar (it might taste strong at first, but it’ll mellow out). return to the fridge for at least 1 more day.

3. before serving, taste to see if you need to add any more vinegar. mix 1 part shrub to 3 parts sparkling water over ice. add liquor (if using). garnish with herbs or edible flowers!

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bread + herb butter + radish

• 1 loaf fresh sourdough, sliced

• 1 bunch french radishes

HERB BUTTER

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, cubed

• 1/2 cup parsley + basil + chives, roughly chopped

• flaky salt

1. add the butter to a quart-sized deli container. microwave until completely melted.

2. add in the herbs and blend using an immersion blender until smooth. it should be a bright green color. for a super silky-smooth herb butter, strain through a fine mesh sieve. chill until hardened.

3. bring the butter back to room temp (or microwave slightly) and whip using a handheld mixer. the butter should turn lighter in color. once you’re happy with the consistency, fold in some flaky salt to taste.

4. serve piled up on a tray with some fresh sourdough and french radishes.

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scallop crudo

serves 10

this crudo may or may not have been the impetus for hosting this pop up dinner. i was DYING to make a gorgeous, plated crudo but there was never an occasion. my clients always request crudo that can be passed or picked up as an hors d'oeuvre. and as much as i love crudo i don’t think i could eat enough of it to warrant making it for myself. although this was the first item i added to the menu, i didn’t finalize the components until day-of. i wasn’t sure if my local japanese market carries sashimi-grade scallops — but luckily they do! the dish honestly turned out better than i could’ve imagined!

TANGERINE VINEGAR

• 1/4 cup tangerine juice

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar

1. mix together tangerine juice, lemon juice, and champagne vinegar. taste and adjust to your liking. tbh i did not measure this part but you’re going for a balance between sweet and acidic.

HERB OIL

• 1/3 cup oil

• 1 cup parsley + basil + chives

1. blend the olive oil and herbs in a high-speed blender until smooth. add more olive oil as needed.

2. strain through a coffee filter or a cheesecloth placed over a mesh sieve. it may take a bit for the oil to filter through.

CRUDO

• 8-10 sashimi-grade scallops

• flaky salt

• nasturtium leaves and flowers

1. to prep the scallops, trim off the bit of connective muscle on the side (you’ll see it). slice very thin to get little discs.

2. arrange the thinly-sliced scallops on a plate. spoon some of the tangerine vinegar on top. drizzle a bit of the herb oil over the scallops and finish with flaky sea salt. garnish with nasturtium leaves and flowers.

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ramp butter roast chicken + pickled ramp salsa verde

serves 4-6

IT’S RAMP SEASON!! a fleeting moment in time (they’re only in season 1-2 months per year). ramps are wild leeks, but they have a distinctively garlicky flavor. somehow like a garlicky scallion? sourcing ramps in san francisco is certainly not easy, but i knew i needed to incorporate them in this menu. i love that this dish celebrates each part of the glorious ramp — from the more mild green leafy part to the punchier purple-y bulb. i made two roast chickens for the dinner but scaled down the recipe so it’s easier to follow.

RAMP BUTTER ROAST CHICKEN

• 1 whole chicken

• kosher salt

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened

• 1 bunch ramps (15-20), green parts finely chopped

• 1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• zest of one lemon

• 2 tsp aleppo pepper

1. preheat the oven to 375°F convection. place a wire rack over a foil-lined sheet tray (can also roast the chicken in a cast-iron skillet).

2. pat the chicken dry with paper towels and salt generously all over. place on the wire rack and let come to room temp for 30-60 min.

3. using a handheld mixer, blend the butter, ramps, vinegar, zest, and aleppo.

4. pat the chicken dry again and lightly sprinkle salt all over (since you just removed a lot of the salt). rub ramp butter all over the chicken (including under skin). roast for 45-60 min or until a thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone).

*this method is adapted from jeremy scheck’s roast chicken method from his cookbook. a super straightforward method if you’ve never roasted a chicken before.

RAMP SALSA VERDE

• 1/2 cup warm water

• 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 tsp sugar

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1 bunch ramps (15-20), bulbs thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

• zest of one lemon

• healthy drizzle of olive oil

1. mix together water, vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully dissolved. add the sliced ramp bulbs and chill overnight.

2. strain the pickling liquid into another container. to a bowl, add the pickled ramps, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, and a few tbsp of the pickling liquid + salt to taste. adjust olive oil and pickling liquid as needed.

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spring farro salad

serves 12-14

this farro salad is inspired by the famous charlie bird farro salad. it’s one of my go-tos in the summertime. it’s shovel-in-your-mouth good and can really be adapted to use what’s in season or what you have on hand.

• 2 cups farro

• 1/2-3/4 cups olive oil

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• kosher salt

• 1 cup parmesan, shaved

• 1 cup roasted pistachios, chopped

• 1 bunch asparagus, sliced on the diagonal and blanched

• 3 cups snap peas, sliced on the diagonal

• 2 bunches radishes, thinly sliced

• 1 bag arugula

• 1 bunch mint, torn

• 1 bunch basil, torn

• white wine vinegar to taste

• flaky salt

1. prepare the farro according to the package instructions. whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl. drain the farro and rinse with cold water. add the farro to the dressing and mix with the parmesan and pistachios. adjust olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste.

2. toss in asparagus, snap peas, and radishes. right before serving, toss in arugula and herbs. add a bit of white wine vinegar and flaky salt to taste.

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broiled artichokes + lemony garlic aioli

serves 10-12

what’s more spring than a freaking artichoke!! i honest to god don’t know if i’ve ever eaten an artichoke before (besides the jarred artichoke hearts). somehow i was craving it… and this was the perfect occasion!

• 6-8 baby artichokes

*i followed Carmen in the Garden’s recipe for broiled artichokes and they turned out perfect!

LEMONY GARLIC AIOLI

• 3 cloves garlic

• zest of 1-2 lemons

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tsp dijon

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 3/4 cup neutral oil

1. add garlic, yolk, dijon, lemon juice, and salt to a quart-sized deli container. blend with an immersion blender until smooth. while running the blender, slowly drizzle in oil to emulsify until thick and smooth.

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lemon lavender tart

serves 12

i have to admit, i did choose to make this tart because i saw a STUNNING picture on pinterest. i mean look at her. originally by @sayanafewd on ig! lemon tart is one of my all-time favorite desserts — i much prefer the french style where the lemon custard is baked into the shell.

PÂTÉ SUCRÉE (PASTRY DOUGH)

• 75g unsalted butter

• 50g powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

• 40g egg yolks (about 2)

• 150g ap flour

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp heavy cream

1. in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, mix the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste together until smooth (about 3 minutes). scrape down the sides and add the egg yolks. mix until combined. add the flour and mix on low just until it starts coming together.

2. turn the dough out into a 9” tart pan. press evenly along the bottom and sides of the pan. use a fork to poke lots of holes in the bottom of the crust. chill for at least 20 minutes in the freezer.

3. preheat the oven to 350°F. whisk together the egg and heavy cream.

4. scrunch up some parchment paper and place it in the tart crust. add pie weights and blind-bake for 20 minutes. remove the pie weights and the sides of the tart pan and brush all over with egg wash. bake until golden, about 3-4 more minutes.

FILLING

*i followed my favorite lemon tart recipe from matt adlard. i blended about 2 tbsp of dried lavender into the filling mixture during step 2 and strained it out during step 6.

ITALIAN MERINGUE

*i made half a recipe of this italian meringue from serious eats.

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party favors!

i love a party favor. in this day and age, i feel they are slightly unexpected — which makes them even sweeter to receive! i had gallons upon gallons of my homemade chicken stock in the freezer, which i portioned out and gave away to each of my guests. i would love to receive this myself because homemade stock, as we all know, is liquid gold!! miles better than the store-bought stuff. and since it’s frozen, you don’t need to stress about using it asap.

we also sent each of our guests home with a set of emerald tiger plates! emerald tiger is a female-founded SF brand that very kindly gifted us plates for the dinner and party favors. their plates are so fun and really brought our tablescape to life! they also shared a code with me NICOLE20 for 20% off at checkout. :)

photos

whenever i host, i pretty much blackout and never get any decent photos of anything. these photos by @clairebutlercreative on ig turned out absolutely STUNNING! i am so grateful that she was able to capture these final moments as we finished everything up.

ps as an eldest daughter and leo sun, it was EXTREMELY hard to post this without the perfect logo and backdrop. but doing something imperfectly is better than not at all! hope you enjoyed :)