Tickets available for this delicious, inventive evening!
Popup dinners are one of the best ways to enjoy the true talents of a culinary community. There is a fantastic one happening in Ottawa at Bar Lupulus on March 19 at 6 pm and you’d be foolish not to be there. Not only will it be a feast for all the senses (more about that in a moment), it will also be a fun opportunity to play ‘six degrees of separation’ with some of Ottawa’s kitchen superstars, a happily intertwined group assembled by Chef Danny Mongeon for his latest FLUX dinner.
FLUX was conceived three and a half years ago as chef’s collective to present an ever-evolving, transient series of dinners. Its unique name represents the notion that we are all in a constant state of change, both personally and as dictated by the seasons and other forces. Each FLUX dinner gives several chefs a chance to innovate and collaborate; Mongeon seems to hand pick co-conspirators that share his fondness for playfully pushing culinary boundaries in myriad delicious ways.
This winter’s FLUX dinner is dubbed “Senses” and is designed to be a celebration of life and everything our senses have to offer. As Danny explains, “in everyday life our senses together work in perfect harmony. When we go out to eat, the first sense that comes into play is smell, often taking us back to a place in time, perhaps even from our childhood. The second sense, sight, allows us to experience how the chef is expressing his or her emotion visually on a plate. The sense of touch works together with the sense of taste to allow us to enjoy different textures along with the balance of flavours. Last, but not least, our sense of hearing lets us enjoy the aural atmosphere of the experience, including the music the restaurant has chosen to play to help set the ambiance. Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci said it best: ‘the five senses are the ministers of our soul.’”
Participating chefs include Danny Mongeon (whose brief return to Ottawa will also include participating in the Taste for Hope event that week) Jeff Bradfield, Harriet Clunie, Adam Bannerman, Blain Wagg and Sarah Farmer. Tickets for this six course tasting menu, which includes beverage pairings, are $100 per person and can be purchased starting Monday, January 29 at Bar Lupulus. There are only sixty seats available and tickets must be purchased in advance; a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Lung Cancer Canada. The food and drink are sure to be exceptional; to enhance the auditory experience, there will be music by DJ Grusm.
I’ve had the privilege of attending every FLUX event (see links below) and can assure you that these dinners are the most exquisite of multi-sensory experiences. The food is thoughtful and thought-provoking, inventive and often daring. Drinks are on point and the overall atmosphere is downright festive. There’s something infectiously joyful about watching talented chefs pushing each to step further and further away from what they do well on a daily basis, and that is exactly the spirit of FLUX. And if you really want to play “Six Degrees of Separation”, here’s a partial list of where the talented chefs have toiled over the last few years. Chances are one or more have fed you an unforgettable meal.
- Danny Mongeon: Brut Cantina Sociale, Hooch Bourbon House, Erling’s Variety, Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort AB, Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre, Jasper AB
- Jeff Bradfield: Zen Kitchen, Brothers Beer Bistro, Erling’s Variety, Social, Bar Lupulus
- Harriet Clunie: Beechwood Gastropub, Das Lokal, Navarra, Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro, Murray Street Café, Oz Kaffe
- Adam Bannerman: Brut Cantina Sociale, Hooch Bourbon House, La Finca y El Mar (Nicaragua), Andaz
- Blain Wagg: Sidedoor, E18teen, Erlings, Social, Beechwood Gastropub, Bar Lupulus
- Sarah Farmer: O’Brien House (Wakefield), E18hteen, Sidedoor, Murray Street, Fauna, Ministry of Coffee, Get Your Sweet Fix catering
For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Bar Lupulus at 1242 Wellington Street West, 613.759.4677 or www.barlupulus.ca .
Previous FLUX events (click on the link to see text and images):
Constantly Cooking with Paula Roy 