Happy birthday, y'all!
The Food Dood Feed is 1 but far from lonely
A year ago, I promised to start this newsletter with an eye toward making a living writing about the local food scene in Oklahoma. If giving it my best shot didn’t work, I could always get a job.
A year later, the Food Dood Feed has just passed 2,400 subscribers. From the bottom of my heart, thanks to ALL of you. This year, covering the local food scene will include writing a book to dispel the notion that nobody in Oklahoma knows how to eat by showing them evidence in words and pictures. That wouldn’t be possible without the support the community has shown so far. Again, thank you. And, no, I haven’t gotten another job. However, it is part of my job running the Food Dood Feed that we need more paid subscribers to continue the growth.
Events are a part of the 2024 growth plan. New subscribers will want to take the Foodiciary Dining Club survey. If you missed the survey before, please take it now. It will help shape the events we produce. Events like Chefs Fest 2024, which is due in the fall. This year’s event will include two ways to support local chefs and their favorite charities. Besides the usual chefs booths in the parking lot of Super Cao Nguyen Market, expect a ticketed event inside this year.
To get ready for the change in concept, plans are under way to produce a spring event that raises money for charity and prepares for Chefs Fest 2024. Food Dood Feed subscribers will be the first to know when tickets become available just as they were for last year’s $2K Cookie Contest.
Paid subscribers will be eligible for giveaways starting March 1. That’s when one lucky Founding Subscriber will win a $150 gift card to The Ranch Steak House, and six other paid subscribers will be eligible for $100 and $50 gift cards to restaurants around the 405 diningscape. To be eligible, you must have a Founding Subscription or other paid subscription by Feb. 29.
Thanks again for supporting The Food Dood Feed and local dining. There is literally no better way to help celebrate its first birthday than by becoming a paid subscriber today.
The 405 diningscape has become an entity worthy of it own coverage because of the amazing growth in chef-driven, local restaurants, and the cool dining collaborations they produce on the weekly.
Take for example last week’s Mud Bug party, a collaboration between Sedalia’s Oyster and Seafood and Power House. Chef Zack Walters and his wife and business partner Silvana provided the inspired Bayou-centric menu while Power House hosted with Frozen Hurricane’s a perfect Pimm’s Cup.
I know we’re only half way through a stacked month of February, but the odds of me coming across a better dish than the grilled oysters with collard greens, bacon and bechamel are long. A crunchtastic catfish beignet came with the Crawfish & Andouille Etouffee – which also harbored spoonbread. The Rabbit & Andouille Piquant over rice was the heat-level I want pretty much all my food. But neither made me feel the feels those glorious grilled oysters triggered.
The odds of topping that dish might be long, but chefs Kurt Fleischfresser and Jeff Chanchaleune are collaborating next week, which sounds like a hold-my-beer moment.
On Tuesday, I attended the grand rebranding of Pachinko into The Crown, but could’ve attended another Tiger Style pop-up from chef Caleb Stangroom or a Wizard of Oz-themed vegetarian dinner at Picasso’s Cafe. It’s a crowded calendar the 405 diningscape keeps. Here’s some cool ones coming up soon.
Feb. 21: Chef Caleb Stangroom continues his two-day Tiger Style pop-up at Grand Royale, 1749 NW 16th St.. You can find the menu here. The event runs 5 to 11 p.m. both nights.
Feb. 25: Tune into Food Network at 7 p.m. to watch chef Kevin Lee of Birdie’s by Chef Kevin lee compete on Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions. To embark on his quest for $100,000, Lee must first get past Top Chef season 14 winner and the first chef to take home the Tournament of Champions crown, Brooke Williamson.
Feb. 26: Ma Der will host Oklahoma’s culinary Big Kahuna, chef Kurt Fleischfresser of Western Concepts, for a ticketed event on Monday. It will features seatings at 5:30 and 8 p.m. The menu is French-inspired.