Dining out these days is about more than just the food; it’s about the whole culinary experience. From guest chefs to pop-up events, offering unique dining experiences at your restaurant is a fantastic way to generate media buzz about your establishment and attract new customers. There are even some over-the-top dining experiences, like the flying dinner table, better known as Dinner in the Sky. Let’s explore ways to create exciting, albeit less sky-defying, dining events at your restaurant.

Dinner on the Farm

While farm-to-table is not a new concept, each farm and chef collaboration are uniquely delicious. Consider teaming with a local farm to create a multi-course dinner with fresh, regional, and seasonal ingredients. Hosting the dinner on location at the farm creates a scenic backdrop to the meal. Having the opportunity to dine just steps away from the fields where the meats, vegetables, and dairy on your plate are sourced is an opportunity not many will get to experience. Since farms are primarily set up for producing food, not cooking it, you’ll need to bring your trusty kitchen essentials like prep tables, portable countertop induction range, and ovens like the MiLO Double/Single.

Alternatively, it’s possible to host farm-to-table events at your restaurant location. These events are an excellent opportunity to work with multiple local vendors. From brunch, afternoon tea, or dinner, the possibilities are endless. The seasonal menu can include some of the best ingredients in your area besides locally sourced produce and meat, like hand-crafted cheeses, chocolates, beer, wine, and even floral arrangements!

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Lasting anywhere from one night to a couple of months, themed pop-ups are a growing trend at businesses ranging from dive bars to white tablecloth restaurants. A pop-up restaurant can best be described as a temporary restaurant that can show up at an unexpected location, like In-N-Out in Korea, or a fun theme in an existing bar and restaurant, like this Schitt’s Creek pop-up in Chicago. Whether you’re operating a small food truck or a restaurant, there are a few reasons why a pop-up could be right for you.

• Collaborating with another local restaurant or small business
• Temporarily test out new menu concepts
• Charity events
• Attract new customers
• Offer creative freedom to your culinary staff

Pop-up restaurants are a great way to test different concepts without significant financial risk. Creative pop-ups are not only a novelty; the limited availability can generate buzz and encourage customers to put your restaurant at the top of their must-dine list.

Kitchen With a View

There aren’t many limitations when choosing where to host your farm-to-table event or pop-up restaurant location. While you can easily host the event at a traditional brick and mortar location, you could also set up your kitchen and dining room in an unconventional space like a city garden, a shipping container, or old unused office buildings. The most important thing is to host it in a space that will pass health inspections and allow your staff to cook the delicious menu safely. Having the right restaurant equipment on-site is imperative and should include the following:

• Prep tables for your kitchen staff to prepare plates before they are served to guests
• Coolers and freezers to store ingredients and maintain food quality
• Grills, deep fryers, cooktops, and ovens
• Holding cabinets to keep food hot
• Cleaning station to keep the back of house properly sanitized
• A payment system that can accept different forms of payments, from cash to credit cards

Food can be so much more than a combination of ingredients on a plate; it can tell a story. All over the world, you’ll find chefs taking diners through gastronomic experiences, and you can bring those unique experiences to your local restaurant. For more culinary inspiration, check out our Snack Revolution blog!