Hello there. It’s only fair that I use my first blog entry to introduce myself, and explain a little how Origins | Food Club came to reality.
Although I am a Classical musician by trade, food has always been a passion of mine. I was very lucky to grow up in a family where there was always freshly prepared food on the table. To be fair, when I was a child (not that long ago!), ready-meals were not an option, at least you could not find them anywhere in the not-so-urban part of Spain where I was born: Asturias.
My first memories as I child involved either eating my grandma’s fabulous food (and I mean fabulous!) or messing the kitchen up while attempting to make some biscuit or cake. When I finally left the nest to go to uni, it was goodbye to my childhood and, alas, goodbye to free yummy food! It was then that I had to start cooking more often, and sort of take masterclasses from mum and grandma every time I returned for a visit. Luckily I went away with some awesome foundations.
Parties and gatherings have been a chance for me to try new things, and get feedback from my friends. There’s also the element of deep satisfaction when people leave your house with a full belly and a happy smile. And the more selfish sense of pride. The other side of the coin, so-to-speak, was that people gradually came to expect a healthy array of tasty homemade food when they visited my place. A packet of crisps, and a bag of frozen sausage rolls wouldn’t do anymore. So throwing a party meant careful planning, finding a not-so-busy week and spending hours (I mean, days) at the kitchen. Fortunately, I love it. (even if my girlfriend has to feel a little neglected from time to time. Sorry darling!).
After so many years feeding people, setting up a supper club felt like a natural thing to do. It’s also what foodies are doing these days worldwide. That’s alright, I’ll happily go with the trend.
Origins | Food Club is all about finding inspiration in traditional or historical food, and presenting it in a more modern fashion. I find inspiration in my own origins: the food from my beloved Asturias is a starting point, and a gastronomy that will always be close to my heart. I am also inspired by our cultural roots and traditions: having studied musicology (and researched the eighteenth century for quite a bit), I think there is a lot to discover from historical food. My idea is to offer menus directly inspired in one particular historical event, and maybe throw a little bit of my musical know-how into the experience by providing a more ‘authentic’ ambiance with music from that particular period.
Finally, I have to say that this venture wouldn’t be possible with the help of my friends. Thanks to all of you who acted as guinea pigs: your feedback has been invaluable. Special thanks go to Edith for crafting a beautiful logo. Massive thanks go to Estefania, whose continued support and encouragement has been positively crucial. I could not have done this without you! Last, but not least, thanks to everyone who has already visited our supper club; it’s been a lot of fun to have you around. If you haven’t visited us yet, we soon hope to give you our warmest welcome.
