No matter where people consume food media, there’s no denying Eater has been on the frontlines of cultivating the culture since social media became social media. Eater started in 2005, the same year as Reddit and as You Tube, and before taking pictures of our food became an extension of our dining experiences. As a matter of fact, if you didn’t taken a picture of your meal, were you really at said meal? Either way, Eater plans to celebrate the space they’ve created in a big way on September 20 in New York City with all proceeds from ticket sales going to World Central Kitchen.
Apropos of the event location name, Eater will celebrate at STORIED in Chelsea with a marquee of chefs for its Eater Off Menu party. The big evening event will feature memorable culinary trends and themes and celebrate their influence on dining on and culture for the last 20 years. The party will also give longtime Eater fans an opportunity to meet the chefs and restaurant stars they have been following and rooting for for so long.
But an affair of this magnitude doesn’t just happen. From flirting with and securing sponsors to orchestrating the heavyweight line-up of talent, the idea evolves with many hands in the pot. Stephanie Wu, Eater’s Editor-in-Chief, said the team started “thinking about the celebration well over a year ago.” Organizing such a feat takes a lot of effort and planning and so, once the idea struck, the team committed and dove all in.
“Like with anything else we do at Eater,” Wu said, “it starts with one great idea and an incredible team that can really see the possibilities around what that idea could become.”
Platforms like Eater have changed the game for everything food fans do revolving from the actual dining experience to understanding the landscape behind the restaurants and the chefs literally feeding us. It has radically altered how we share our love of food and, in some ways, our relationship to it.
“This is a big deal,” Wu added. “And not only is it 20 years of Eater, it’s 20 years of an incredible amount of change and excitement and ups and downs for the restaurant and hospitality industry. And the way that we consume, not just food, but food media and food entertainment. All of that has gone through such drastic changes.”
Some of the elements of the celebration will key in on major trends of the last two decades, like: Heritage Cooking, which will spotlight familial traditions and fresh twists from some of Eater’s favorite chefs, featuring appearances and dishes from Chef and CEO Jason Wang of Xi’an Famous Foods, Chef Sean Brock, Chef Cristina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa, along with Bo Ssam from David Chang’s Momofuku.
The idea of More is More where maximalism and excess will be featured as guests dip into in dishes by Kwame Onuwachi’s Tatiana, Mario Carbone’s Carbone, and drinks from Dave Arnold’s Bar Contra, among others.
Chef Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza will join other chefs and restaurants known for putting a spotlight on all things From Scratch with seasonal vegetables, pickles, fermented foods, and all ingredient-focused cooking.
And, of course, there has to be a sweet finish. That’s where the Just Desserts segment of the event comes in and will give guests the opportunity to enjoy treats from pastry Chef Caroline Schiff, Dominique Ansel Bakery, and more.
“One of our biggest expectations [for the event] is simply to connect: to meet some of Eater’s most loyal readers and diners face-to-face,” Geoff Schiller, the CRO at Vox Media said when asked about what he expects from the experience. “And to engage with them in a meaningful, real-world way. That kind of direct interaction is rare and incredibly valuable not only for us both also for our brand sponsors. For them, its a great way to interact with Eater’s amazing and hard-to-reach community.”
One of the ways in which the brand has reached community is through the Eater app, something Wu said they will continue to enhance and foster through community features and new editorial formatting.
Eater Off Menu has partnered with Capital One, giving cardholders first access to the event along with exclusive perks and take-home gifts. The Capital One Exclusive Preview Hour ticket includes general admission, early access during a special VIP hour, complimentary champagne, dedicated concierge check-in, and exclusive perks at four featured stations that include add-ons to bites, drinks, and other treats. Preview Hour guests will also take home a curated gift bag filled with exclusive edible items from Eater’s favorite restaurants.