Fancy a Pop-Up Restaurant in Your Own Home?
It may not be appealing to some people, but how does launching a pop-up restaurant in your home and inviting strangers around? You may be wary about the thought of this, or excited, or you may think it just sounds like a dodgy reality TV show! However, it’s the latest trend and home run restaurants are being hosted around the country which is creating a buzz!
We all know that people don’t have to be a top chef to produce quality food and people are dining out less and view eating out as more of a treat. With the recession around the world, pop up restaurants in people’s homes has increased. Home restaurants can turn up anywhere and are usually temporary, which is why they are also known as pop-up restaurants. Some people call them ‘underground restaurants’ because of the secrecy around them. Even though this may seem like a dark term for a home run restaurant, they are actually known to be fun, socialable and open to anyone who enjoys good food, company and whoever wants a new dining experience.
The idea of home restaurants is said to have stemmed from Cuban paladares, which are small, family run restaurants which the Cuban socialist government allows people to run in exchange for very high taxes. Pop-up restaurants that are hosted from home can be cheap to run as people can avoid hiring staff, buying restaurant insurance, buying alcohol licensing, and also avoid paying rent. Where can you find a home run restaurant?
It can be hard to find a home restaurant as they aren’t heavily promoted or advertised very obviously. They are usually spread through blogs or just through word of mouth. They can also be mentioned on websites or on social networking sites such as Google+, Twitter or Facebook.
Some home restaurant events have an ‘invitation only system’ as hosts are sometimes unable to tend to a high number of people. If you are lucky enough to have an invite, there isn’t usually much choice on the menu and is a set course, however all guests are usually made aware of the theme of the evening, so it shouldn’t be too surprising on the night!
Not for the timid!
Home restaurants can be intimidating for first time goers, as they are very social events. They are usually set in one room with a few tables placed close together, or just around one big table. Be warned, you could be sat next to a stranger. However, conversation usually flows as everyone is eating the same food at the same time, which makes the atmosphere relaxed.
Have you been to a home run restaurant with strangers before? Let us know your views!
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| TIBS Family Dinners |
The Culinary Chase’s Note: Quote Searcher for restaurant insurance provided this guest post. The pop-up restaurant trend can also be a useful tool for fund-raising ideas. Supper clubs are almost always by word of mouth. When we lived in Singapore, these ‘supper clubs’ usually took place in a number of homes where you would go to one place for the antipasto, another for the main and last stop for the dessert. This works well in an apartment complex. But not all pop-up restaurants are in homes. In Hong Kong it was also known as back door restaurants and literally you would enter through a back door! Our local coffee shop, Two If By Sea Cafe (TIBS), started out hosting a set menu featuring local produce. TIBS Family Dinners initially was held once a quarter but now they’ve become so popular the dinners are now once a month and are a sell out venue! Pop-up restaurants can take on many forms and only limited to your imagination.