How to Host a Pop-Up Dining Event

Pop-up dining events have taken the world by storm in recent years. From tea parties to Indians –themed evenings, the foodie experiences are unique each time. What's common is that word is usually spread through social media channels and there's always an air of mystery surrounding the exact details of the event. Tickets have been known to sell out fast as food fanatics, gourmet bloggers and those bored of their city's dining scene flock to get in on the action.

Read on for tips on how you could become the next big thing on the pop-up dining scene.

Theme

It's vital to define exactly what your event will be so people know what they're in for. Think about what you'll be offering. A three course dinner or just afternoon tea? Once you've determined your plan, think of a unique selling point and an appropriate name for the event to get people talking.

For example, a recent initiative in Edinburgh, brilliantly named Burgers for Burghers, was launched in response to the lack of places in town serving decent burgers.

Venue

You need to have a venue in mind right from the beginning and book it well in advance if you're hiring a space. Carefully consider how appropriate it is for a foodie get-together. You want people to feel comfortable and to have space to move around and get to know everyone at the event. Restrooms are also an important factor.

Select a venue that has potential to be decorated and that will suit your chosen theme. Many supper clubs take place in the host's dining room. This option's great if you don't have the budget to rent a larger space, and makes the event more intimate.

Outdoor venues are wonderful but make the organiser's life quite a bit more difficult as you need to think about renting appliances and furniture.

Staff

So you've decided to throw a dining event but who's going to cook? Are you a skilled chef yourself or will you need to involve a professional? It's important to establish industry contacts who'd be willing to participate in your venture or at least advise you.

Home supper clubs usually rely on the host's own cooking skills but, remember, you charge people for the experience so expectations are high. Don't use lazy ingredients and steer clear of ready-made foods. Set the menu well in advance and practice preparing the dishes. If you're hiring a cook, stay in regular contact and make sure he or she's constantly in the loop.

Publicity

Start working on getting the word out as soon as possible. Think about your image. Establish yourself a reputation on the online food scene. A sudden, new pop-up appearance is unlikely to get much attention if you haven't networked in advance, and gotten to know valuable contacts who could help spread the word.

Start dropping hints about the event using foodie hashtags, commenting on blogs etc. Make your points very clear but don't give too much away at once. Reveal facts like the venue and menu gradually to raise interest levels. Only start offering tickets when you feel every detail's been finalised and the event doesn't risk cancellation.

Equipment

Calculate the price of your tickets to include any equipment you might need to hire. Not everyone has enough dishes in the house to serve up a three course dinner for a party of ten, for example, so look up crockery rental services in your area.

Make the affair more memorable by decorating your venue. You don't need to exaggerate with white table cloths and silverware, just add a few homey touches like candles or flowers to make the atmosphere cosier.

If you've decided to brave it and throw the party outdoors, you'll need to invest more money, time and effort in sorting out appliance rental as well as furniture and crockery rental. Don't forget, if you hire electric appliances like ovens and fridges, you'll also need to get some industrial generators to power the devices. Make your life easier by sticking to an indoor event!