The Ghetto Gourmet was an underground dining experience in Oakland, California that ran from 2003 to 2008.[1] Diners paid between $40 and $100 and were served a table d'hôte meal prepared by a professional chef at a non-restaurant location. Local restaurant chefs cooked on their days off. Douglas Adesko at Time magazine wrote: "Jeremy Townsend, the original Ghetto Gourmet, came up with the idea when his brother, a line cook, wanted to try some dishes. They started in their house in Oakland, California. Two years and one visit from a health inspector later, Townsend took his idea mobile, trying out chefs in other cities. 'My ultimate dream is to tour the country like a rock band, except with dinner parties,' he says."[2]
In addition to Time, The Ghetto Gourmet has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and Marketplace.
References
- ↑ "You missed it..." The Ghetto Gourmet. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ↑ Joel Stein. "Secret Suppers", Time, November 6, 2006. Accessed June 5, 2008.
External links
- Official website
- Time, November 6, 2006; "Secret Suppers"
- San Francisco Chronicle, January 22, 2006; "Guerrilla Gourmet / Guided by word-of-mouth, diners flock to unlicensed restaurants for excellent food in secret settings"
- Nashville Scene, January 11, 2007;
- Marketplace, February 14, 2006;
- Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2006; "Rogues, nomads, dissident chefs"
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 17, 2006; "Kitchen not so confidential: Underground restaurants go public, lose cachet"