Fresh Sheet
October 2010
Big Table is a network of people who care… not just about food… but about the people who work in
the restaurant and hospitality industry. We create community around shared meals and offer real
support for those in the industry, especially those in crisis or falling through the cracks.
Eat This Big Table Hits The Road in August and September
The Pizza Bianca at Luna. The After our first four dinners hosted at The Purple Turtle in downtown Spokane, we took the
Chicken Makhani and Baingan table down the road for the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Talk about fun: we
Bhartha at Taaj Indian Cuisine. The went to a Browne’s Addition garden in August and to a farm tucked up in the hills over the
Daeji Bulgogi at Ha Ha Grill House. river between Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls in September. Adam Hegsted from The
The Black Pepper Garlic Beef at Wandering Table and the Coeur d’Alene Casino cooked the August dinner in Browne’s
Ginger Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar. Addition and Tyler Schwenk from
Taste’s Peach Danish. The Daily Beverly’s at the Coeur d’Alene
Tacos at Smokeblossom in Resort cooked the September at
Wenatchee. The Tasting Menu at Settler’s Creek Farm. The food at
Tendrils on the Cave B Estate both fit the settings: brilliant.
Winery at the Gorge. The Galaxy The serving teams battled
Burger at Moon Dollars in Post hedges and climbed stairs to get
Falls. The Chicken and Truffles at the courses to the tables, and
Fleur De Sel in Post Falls. managed this with grins on their
faces. And the guest lists
continue to expand. Yet my
favorite part of both nights was
the chance to talk briefly before
the dessert course arrives. This
is when we make the connection
between these amazing meals
and the opportunity to care for
people in the industry. I
Following a mid‐summer trip to wouldn’t be doing what I’m
Kansas City and Chicago to look at doing if I didn’t love food, but the
art schools for his daughter Megan, truth is that the people in the
Kevin returned to coordinate back‐ industry are worth far more than
to‐back dinners in August and foie gras or the perfectly cooked
September. Our previous gap prawn. So thanks for caring.
between dinners has been eight Keep dreaming with us about how we can create real community and offer real support
weeks. This was an experiment in along the way.
scheduling them four weeks apart.
Add in two new locations and the
August and September Menus and Dinner Pictures
two largest guest lists ever and
Head to our www.big‐table.com to see the full menus from both August and September.
Kevin hasn’t had much sleep. He
You can also click through from the site to our Flickr page which has pictures up from both
probably would be comatose
evenings. Angela Parris from Stillpoint Photography documented the August dinner and
except for the fact that both
guests at the table jumped in to take pictures in September while Angela was photographing
dinners had tremendous volunteer
a wedding on the east coast. What a gift Angela’s photos have been all year long, and we
teams. On the writing front, August
are very grateful for each person who took time away from the meal to snap pictures of the
and September included the annual
September dinner in her absence.
“BEST OF” issue for Spokane Coeur
d’Alene Living and several special
pieces for the Inlander including a The ‘Who’s Who’ of
Kung Pao Smack Down that ranked
Generosity
several popular Chinese spots on
The lists of people we get to
take‐out. These writing assignments
thank for each dinner are
continue to provide great relational
becoming wonderfully long.
connections that link into Big Table.
In August here is who threw
Kevin presented the vision for Big
down to help: Adam
Table with teachers who run the
Hegsted and his brother
Prostart Culinary Training program
Ryan Stoy for preparing a
in high schools across the state. He
stunning meal, Steve and
also traveled to Wenatchee in
Kim Larsen and their Larsen
September to judge an amateur
Financial team for giving us
chef competition and help a chef
their home and garden for
(and former Big Table dinner guest)
the night, John Allen from
with a fund‐raising dinner for the
Vino for a case of Distant Bay
YWCA in Wenatchee.
Cabernet Sauvignon and
presiding over the bar,
Big Table Cooking Classes Deborah Di Bernardo of
A number of chefs have offered to Roast House for her coffee parings for dessert, Keisha Brown for live harp music throughout
teach Big Table cooking classes. If the night, Sara Greene from The Purple Turtle for decorating the table as well as Pacific
you would like to host a dinner (and Seafood, FSA, and Dan Jackson for generously donating food for the dinner. In September
invite friends) or simply attend, we the list of those to thank is just as long: Tyler Schwenk pulled off the biggest dinner yet (51
want to know that as well. We at the table) with four plated courses and a family‐style course that perfectly fit the Settlers
would like to start by asking for $75 Creek barn. Chris and Shannon Varela donated the farm for us to use, decorated the barn,
per person to cover the costs of the and joined in to help with some of the cooking. Jonathan Sweatt donated wine and Spokane
class and provide some support for Produce, Inland Meats, FSA, and Northstar Seafood all kicked in generously on the food.
Big Table. Email Amanda Hyman Brad Orenstein heavily discounted our rentals from Event Rents at both dinners as well and
(mandojls@yahoo.com) to get your Lake City Rentals discounted their charges in September as well. Then at both dinners there
name on the invite list or to set a were teams of over twenty volunteers serving and doing dishes. Thank you!
date to host a class in your home.
New Website Development
Upcoming November Dinner In addition to hosting a number of our Big Table dinners, Brad and Sara Greene of the Purple
Brian Hutchins and Tony Brown Turtle deeply discounted the cost of an expanded website design for Big Table. We are still
from Luna in Spokane will be tweaking details behind the scenes, but already many of the new features are live. Swing by
th
cooking our November 8 dinner. and visit us online today and let us know what you like and what you would like to see us
November marks the one year add as we build the site out.
anniversary of Big Table industry
dinners and we will be back in the Non‐Profit Status
White Room at The Purple Turtle. For our first two years of work we have operated under a large and reputable “umbrella
501c3” that is designed specifically to help non‐profits get on their feet. While we are
welcome to continue to work the Congressional District Programs for the reasonable 8%
service fees they charge, several of our advisory board have encouraged us to take the next
step and move to independent 501c3 status with the IRS. One donor is paying for the legal
fees to explore this possibility and at this point it looks like independent status would allow
us to respond more rapidly to a wider range of needs as well as access additional funding
sources. Yet this will require bookkeeping and administrative support that we don’t have
currently. If you know of someone who might be able to provide some organizational or
financial expertise (either donated or for a realistic rate) please let Kevin know.
Thanks For Setting The Table Unexpected 20 Envelopes
A number of you are giving monthly If you haven’t given out an Unexpected 20 yet, now
(or yearly) to make Big Table a would be a perfect time. We have a separate website
reality. THANK YOU! Your gifts up (www.unexpected20.com) that explains the idea
have been a huge encouragement. behind this gift of a twenty dollar bill tucked into an
envelope. Basically, you leave one for someone in a
If you would like to give, please let
restaurant or hotel ‘without strings attached.’ We can
us know. Each dinner is free to
send you envelopes to use or you can make your own.
every guest – a gift. And the
If you come up with creative ways to get your
dinners are only the most visible
Unexpected 20s to people stuck back in kitchens or
part of our daily work to create
other behind‐the‐scenes jobs, please let us know and
relationships and community for
post your ideas on the Unexpected 20 site.
those in the industry as well as to
follow up with the long list of
opportunities to care generated at
each dinner. The Care Pot
At each dinner we have a cast iron ‘Dutch Oven.’ Inside is
This fall we’d like to connect with $400 that we invite guests to help us decide how to invest in
25 new donors. Ideally a number of caring for others in the industry. Often by the end of the
these would become “place night guests have added to the pot, and this got us thinking.
setters” and give $50 to $100 each Two guests at the last dinner who own a bed‐and‐breakfast
month for the remainder of 2010 offered a night or two at their place for someone in need of
and through 2011. We also need time away. If you or someone you know might be willing to
two additional major donors able to donate something tangible, let us know. The sky is the limit
give $5,000 to $10,000 during but things like oil change coupons, massage sessions,
2010. Yet a gift in any amount – haircuts, meals out, babysitting, grocery coupons, gift cards
one time or monthly is deeply and the like could be great fun to share with someone in
appreciated. need. Guests who know someone in need of a particular gift
We are actively seeking matching would be able to lead the planning on how to surprise their
funds so that the impact of any gift friend or colleague.
you can give will be double.
Four Current ‘Behind The Scenes’ Needs
Can you be one of these donors this
(1) An accountant or bookkeeper familiar with non‐profit record expectations and tax filings.
fall? Simply click on the DONATE
(2) A downtown Spokane location to host a Saturday night gathering (10 pm to 2 am) for
NOW text on www.big‐table.com
people in the industry. (3) Weekly administrative support, and (4) a videographer able to
or contact Kevin and set up a time
edits some fun short video footage for posting on YouTube.
to talk. Through our umbrella
501c3, the Congressional District
Programs, support for Big Table is Big Table
tax‐deductible. 1606 East 60th Avenue Kevin Finch, Director
Spokane, WA 99223 (509) 999‐7429
www.big‐table.com kevin@big‐table.com
Thanks for your interest. Email Kevin to be added to the email version on the newsletter.