Supper Club no.1 Ravioli Rodeo
Recipes for all 5 courses and putting on my chef hat.
In my group of friends I host somewhat often. Themed parties, coffee shops in our kitchen, backyard BBQs. I believe that some of the best memories come from hosting and loving people through intentional gatherings.
I know that setting the vibe through decorations, candles, flowers, music is definitely a strong suit of mine but over the years my confidence in cooking has been on a steady decline. Maybe it's the fact that I live in one of the best food cities in America, or that many of my close friends are chef level cooks.
Somehow along the way I started to feel like I didn't have space to also be a cook and stopped trying. That’s all about to change.
When I sat down and thought about my 2025 goals, becoming really good at making pasta was a fun hobby I knew I wanted to pour into. To challenge myself I wanted to make it for others which felt scary, because not only did I want it to be edible, I wanted it to be f***ing good. In an attempt to put myself out there, I decided to throw a supper club and actually try to cook a meal I’d be really proud of.
Whats the difference between a supper club and just having people over for dinner?
In my mind there were a few factors. First off, I didn't set a spot at the table for myself. My role in this was to cook and serve and be less of a participant and more of an orchestrator and chef. For this reason I also charged a ticket price. I started with $25 per person, with 8 guests I got $200 which covered about ⅓ of the costs after considering recipe testing, new kitchen tools. Linens, candles, flowers, wine and of course the food cost itself.
“Supper Clubs are peculiar things – a cross between a dinner party and a restaurant. You get the informality of a domestic setting but with the added benefit of a restaurant service “
Overall I am happy with the results, so much so that I wanted to share the results with you all. Feel free to recreate, take inspiration and try it for yourself!
“There’s only one problem, I hate spaghetti. Don’t tell my ancestors.”
I have seen the theme Spaghetti Western cropping up on Pinterest and Instagram. Serving the famous Italian dish alongside western decor is a vibe! There’s only one problem, I hate spaghetti. Don’t tell my ancestors. I think the dish is overhyped and not really something that feels special. You know what does? Ravioli!
Ravioli is spaghetti’s sexy older cousin. When you are served a plate of stuffed pasta there is a wow factor that undeniable. It’s a way more technical dish that requires certain equipment and quite a bit of forethought on the flavors.
So i thought why not remix this concept into Ravioli Rodeo ?
& hence a new theme was born!
decorations/ vibe/ invitations/ dress code
I truly believe people love to be invited in to a concept, so setting the mood is key!
I created a mood board collage that doubled as the invitation so guests would understand the theme and vibe right away. I also encouraged a dress code of black, white or denim with western accessories.
I wanted the room to feel like an old saloon so I focused on draping fabrics, red lighting and a red gingham table cloth.
I added rope to each of the candlesticks to add texture and another nod to western decor. Each guest also had a vintage western post card with a personalized note that acted as their name card.
Menu & Recipes
Below you’ll find the recipes for all 5 courses
Cast Iron Skillet Corncake
Pink Radicchio Caesar
An ode to Kens Meatballs
3 Cheese Spinach Ravioli
Let 'er Buck Tiramisu
All of these dishes have been influenced by my time covering the restaurant industry and it was so fun to curate, combine and experiment. Become a paid subscriber below to unlock all 5 recipes!
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