Food Improv Event to Benefit Oddfellows Playhouse

Food Improv: Eat Your Art Out

Oddfellows Playhouse is excited to announce the return of Food Improv: Where the Performing Arts Meets the Culinary Arts- Take 2!.   This year it will be taking place on Thursday, June 6 and again be held at the Wadsworth Mansion of Middletown.  Food Improv is a fundraising event to help the Playhouse raise money for scholarships and program support.  They are also excited to announce this year’s host is WNPR Connecticut Public Radio Host and Correspondent Lucy Nalpathanchil.

The inspiration for Food Improv came out of the similarities between the performing arts and culinary arts.  Both forms of art build a foundation of life-skills, especially for young people, through working on a team, poise under pressure, responsibility and preparation, and especially how to improvise.  The children who attend Oddfellows are learning these types of skills on a daily basis.  Oddfellows received an overwhelming response of how much fun the event was last year and the connections  made between these two fields that they decided to hold it again this year.

A tasting style event, Food Improv will showcase a variety of dishes created by some of the best chefs and restaurants throughout Connecticut.   Returning restaurants include: Riverhouse Catering , Miya Sushi of New Haven, The New England Emporium, Eli Cannon’s Tap Room, NoRA Cupcake Company, Tschudin Chocolates & Confections, Mattabesett Canoe Club, and Cold Stone Creamery of Middletown.  New participants include Lan Chi Restaurant and 2Hopewell.  The event will also feature a signature cocktail mixed and created by RIPE Craft Bar Juice.

“A fun twist to the event,” says Elizabeth Cipollina of Durham, Co-Chair of the event, “is that each chef has picked a play title from Oddfellows’ production history as inspiration for their dish.  We thought it would be a great way of incorporating theater into the food, while giving each chef an added culinary challenge.  We are excited to see what they come up with.  How they improvise.”  

“Not only are we grateful to all the restaurants, but we’ve also had amazing support from our major sponsors, Citizen’s Bank, Connecticut Rental Center and the law offices of Farrell, Geenty, Sheeley, Boccalatte & Guarino, PC, and Updike, Kelley and Spellacy, PC” says Mary Murphy, who also Co-Chairs the event.  She goes on to say that “Each of these organizations has generously donated to Food Improv and we can’t thank them enough for all they have done.

Tickets for the event are $75 for individuals and $125 for couples.  All proceeds from your ticket will go directly to benefiting Oddfellows Playhouse.  The event runs from 6 p.m.- 9pm.  There will also be a live auction.

If you have any questions about the event, or want to purchase tickets, you can contact Director of Development Courtney Antonioli at 860-347-6143 or email her at Courtney@oddfellows.org.  Tickets can also be purchased online at www.oddfellows.org.