Let the Battle Begin!

Amateur and professional chefs in the town of hot wings unite! We don't like going out because we can do it as well as all the restaurants we can afford. We love to cook and expand our culinary expertise. We walk through the market, find something we've never seen, and think, "I wonder what I could do with this?" If you've heard the call of a strange ingredient or if you just like to be pushed in your cooking, this is the Meetup group for you.

My wife and I love to cook and entertain. We also love trying new food and new ingredients. Our goal with the group is to meet like-minded people that want to have a good time eating and drinking together in a fun, relaxed and child friendly atmosphere.

Our idea is to try to meet once a month or so at a member's home. The host will announce the "secret ingredient" (and where to get it if necessary or rare) at noon on the day of the Meetup. They will announce any specifics (children welcome, theme, etc.) plus available equipment beforehand. Members will be responsible for bringing one or two dishes. Each dish must include the secret ingredient. If they need to use a piece of equipment during the Meetup, they must "call it" with a first asked, first granted basis. Host, of course, gets preference. If the ingredient doesn't lend itself to a specific course (though I would love to see someone make a lamb ice cream), additional dishes will be accepted but not judged. Items on a plate (sides, garnish, etc.) that are NOT meant to be eaten with the secret ingredient will not be judged. Everyone that attends must bring something (if you have guests with you, they don't, just one dish per family/group).

Members are encouraged to prep as much beforehand as possible so that we aren't all fighting over the stove. The host is encouraged to do one dish "live" from start to finish within an hour. At the end of the night, each member will fill out a judgment sheet for each dish and encouraged to give the chef feedback. Winners get bragging rights and the respect of their peers.

We think this would be a great chance to meet people and to expand our culinary skills and palates. We can envision people bringing dishes not just for judging but also for critique and suggestions. While we're sure competition will be fierce, it should be fun. We expect to learn a lot and make a lot of new friends. Of course, the group will ultimately decide how the Meetups will be run so don't think we're married to the above description. We look forward to meeting you.