Family Christmas Time: a Midwestern High Tea Service Inspired by Dysfunctional Holiday Parties in Collaboration with Round Table | December 17, 2023, The Tavern at Color Club, Chicago, IL.

On December 17, Kitty Rauth and I hosted “Family Christmas Time: a Midwestern High Tea Service Inspired by Dysfunctional Family Holidays” presented by Round Table. We hosted just over 70 people for a 3-hour 10-course tea service meal in a drop-ceiling tavern full of gaudy Christmas decor, beer nuts, popcorn, bourbon, and a fake-beard Santa camped out in a La-Z-Boy recliner. Featuring a staff of 13, and months of preparation, we essentially opened a restaurant for one night.

My history includes years of work in bakeries, working my way up from American pies and cookies to the title Chef de Patisserie. I loved this work, dedicated myself to learning new techniques, always approached food with curiosity, watched every move of everyone around me to learn, and consistently got better. Still, I got burnt out by the lifestyle. I moved to Chicago, received my MFA, and put my creative energy back into my art practice. 

Round Table, a collaborative dinner party series hosted by Kitty, brings together the art & food practices of makers in both industries. I was excited to be the 3rd chef in the series, deciding to focus on Midwestern holiday parties as a source of inspiration from my reflections on a turbulent life as someone raised in a low-income working-class family. Taking my training in pastry and my history running traditional tea service, I created a menu of 10 sweet and savory courses derived from the many delicious, rich, dairy-filled Midwestern holiday party dishes. This is one of the first times in a long time that I’ve been able to mend my art and food practice - it has been so exciting, and for that, I am so grateful.