There are so many reasons on why we love Columbus and having new dining experiences is definitely one of them. We recently attended one of The Kitchen’s Participatory Dining Events, which took us away from the table and into the kitchen!
Each dinner is a different theme and our menu embraced Spanish tapas. We started off the evening by nomming on an epic charcuterie board and sipping on a flight of Spanish wines. Owners Anne and Jen introduced the menu through a quick background on tapas, which are perfectly sized appetizers. With smaller portions, the focus shifts from large set meals to an evening full of conversation.
What we loved about The Kitchen was that everything (ingredients, supplies, + aprons) were ready and pre-measured for us. The dinner wasn’t meant to be a cooking lesson but rather a cooking experience, so this allowed us to still have fun and enjoy the evening with zero worries.
Multiple stations were set up for each tapa. Instructions + fresh ingredients sat at each station with a full staff to help us with any questions. Kathy and I worked on making fresh papas bravas: fingerling potatoes + paprika aioli. Let’s just say they turned out DELICIOUS (they were gone before we had a chance to snap a pic). The Gambas al Ajillo-Garlicky shrimp cooked on a crostini were absolute perfection as well! Not only did we enjoy the tapas, but also enjoyed great company. Large farmhouse tables gave space for dining and sitting with new friendly faces.
We ended the evening with apple empanadas. One of my favorite things about the experience was that the event was spread over a few hours, which gave us enough time to soak in the atmosphere, grab a drink, and take our time prepping/cooking and eating! We also got to chit chat with the other members at our cooking station and dinner table. We had an overall great experience and we’re excited to see what other participatory dinners The Kitchen will offer next!
The Kitchen
231 E. Livingston Ave.
Columbus, OH 43215