tender

Please join us for an interactive staged dinner conceptualized by Aaron T Stephan and Gabriela Acero.

tender is a night of exploration – presenting themes of comfort, discomfort, belonging, safety, autonomy, and selfhood through the lenses of space, place, food, and collective creation. The evening will emerge through constructed spaces that actively change and shift, evoking various public and private places, each with their own implications of belonging and acceptance. The food itself will serve as a bridge to childhood memories, ideas of ascribed value, and culturally informed moments of uncertainty.

Our guests will be central to this experience. While every aspect of the event will ostensibly remain the same over six evenings, the shift of who is occupying the space, how they participate, and what they bring emotionally will be an essential aspect of our collective exploration. By pushing against the fourth wall of traditional restaurant dining, we will blur the lines between how we seek and give comfort in various spaces of breaking bread.

The event will feature a wide range of local talent including inventive dishes from Chef Brent Foster, informal wear by Alexa Stark, Bea Willemsen’s whimsical trompe l’oeil ceramics, and alternating nights of music by Amy Stacey Curtis and Henry Redman.

Please read the following disclaimers carefully before purchasing a ticket:

• The event will begin promptly at 6pm, please arrive at least 15 minutes early.
• This event features a set menu that has been carefully conceived in harmony with the visual surroundings, therefore we will be unable to provide modifications or substitutions for allergies or dietary restrictions.
• Some courses will involve hand-held food items and/or sharing food with other participants, and might not be ideal for individuals with compromised immune systems.
• The event will include standing, picking up and moving light objects, and changing spaces involving stairs. Participation may be difficult for people with physical limitations.
• The event will be photographed. Purchasing a ticket signifies an agreement to appear in publication materials and look books of the event.
• Participants are asked to sign a waiver of liability prior to the start of the event.