Erik Willis wants to do more than simply cook for people. He wants to provide an experience.
That’s why the self-taught chef from Keene created Taste and See, LLC, combining his love of food and people. Willis offers dinner parties for up to eight guests and will travel throughout the Monadnock Region to provide what he calls a food experience.
“For me it’s about people seeing it, tasting it,” Willis said. “I like to be interactive when I cook, just really show people my capabilities.”
Willis said providing a meal to people in the comfort of their own home is something that will create lasting memories.
“It’s absolutely the best way to bring people together, eating around a table,” Willis said.
Based out of The Community Kitchen in Keene, where he worked for six years along with most recently at the Monadnock Co-op, Willis also offers dinner parties and events at the Community Kitchen.
Willis said there are many options when it comes to the dinner party offerings. There’s the traditional party with all the food prepared for you. For those that want to learn more about the food and ingredients, Willis will take you on an educational journey with current menus including Indian, Italian, French, Spanish and Moroccan. In each class, an entree, side dish, soup, salad and dessert will be made.
The team building party will include soup, salad and dessert, while guests will come up with a main entree and a side dish. Willis said the the catch with this dinner party is that guests will be asked to fill different roles in the kitchen to create the meal. The Entertainment Dinner Party is designed around the concept of friendly head to head competition where two people will create the main entree and side dish from the ingredients provided.
“I’ve always had the desire to do something like this,” Willis said. “I’m very passionate about it.”
Dinner parties typically last two and a half hours and costs vary depending on the option.
On Sunday, Feb. 23, Willis is hosting a pop up family style dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. at The Community Kitchen, 35 Mechanic St., Keene.
The menu includes chicken and sausage paella, oven roasted caponata, roasted cumin carrots, spiced squash salad with goat cheese, chickpea stew, fruit compote topped with mascarpone and chocolate shavings. Cost is $50 per person with a max seating of 32.
For more, visit www.tasteandseemc.com, email info@tasteandseemc.com of call (603) 209-0680.