SurpriseMeChef delivers fresh meals daily to your desk. A team of chefs use local ingredients to provide you with unique and versatile meals. The Plus Ones had the chance to have a sneak peek at SurpriseMeChef’s new summer menu while launching the concept locally in Coogee.
A sense of community is something this event achieved beautifully. The venue was eatery The Hub. It’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Coogee, while still providing palm tree views and a relaxed yet chic beach atmosphere.
Seated on conjoined tables, The Plus Ones’ writer Jill and I were asked at times to climb over or move to make way for others. Rather than being annoying, this encouraged conversation. Soon several groups of guests introduced themselves and began chatting, glasses of wine in hand, while casually reaching over the table to get to the shared cheese board. We settled in and got ready to eat and score our way through the evening.
We were presented with seven courses over several hours which were brought to the table on large share plates. Each group of guests was given a score card and asked to rate each course from 1 to 5. SurpriseMeChef wanted our feedback ‘so that we can cook more of the things you like!’ It was a great addition to the event and got people talking and comparing notes.
The new summer menu does just what a summer menu should – provides a host of different flavours and options while remaining light and fresh. SurpriseMeChef scored high for me personally for their salads, which retain a distinctly ‘non-salad’ feel.
My favourites include a smoked chicken salad and an amazing Thai beef salad. Both include a variety of textures, ingredients, and flavours which are guaranteed to satisfy.
As the evening went on the music grew louder and the lights dimmer – adding a much more Friday night feel. After the last course we were treated to individual-sized tubs of ice cream in different flavours. This is the moment that reflects the whole evening to me.
I’m unsure of whether this kind of event simply tends to attract open-minded people, or if it’s the setup which encouraged this — but I found myself sitting at a table with four new friends, swapping ice cream tubs and contact details as the night drew to a close.
I look forward to trying out SurpriseMeChef’s winter menu – and of course ordering some of their meals.
–Elli
While Elli de Ryckman de Betz has found that travelling the world might not make you worldly, eating and drinking your way around definitely opens you up to some new experiences.
Visit www.surprisemechef.com to order their fresh meals and new summer menu.
