PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2019

[tikidoc]

Vacation time requested!

[RobertM]

On 9/13/2018 at 8:15 PM, Kerry Beal said:

But if we show you - we'll have to kill you!

I’m not looking for an early exit AND I would like to keep all body parts safe.  

Please forget the request.......l

[VistaGardens]

thank you for all your work on this and looking forward to next year.  I am in California but am happy to help with paperwork...

[lebowits]

On 9/14/2018 at 12:40 PM, gfron1 said:

He would certainly be easy to work with. We've chatted many times. As long as wedding season doesn't tie him down. The question would be how best to use his knowledge.

That being said, I've also had the chance to talk with Rick Jordan and he's also an extraordinary talent.

[gfron1]

Having just taken Melissa Coppel's ganache formulation class I'm looking forward to sharing that info. If you're like me you usually start with someone else's formula and substitute ingredients not knowing the impact on shelf life or consistency. Now I have all the formulas. I'll be making my own from scratch recipe next week.

[felipetruji]

Hopefully i can make it... i'd love to assist!

Colombia is really far away tho.

[gfron1]

Stay tuned. I'll be posting hotel group rate info and registration info by the end of the week.

[SweetnessChocolate]

This sounds like a great event! Hope I can come.

[gfron1]

Event Dates: May 18-19, 2019

St. Louis, MO Forest Park Community College Hospitality Building 

Master Class: May 17

 

We have our hotel room blocked off:

Marriott Courtyard St Louis Downtown West, located at 2340 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103, (314) 241-9111 or (800) 321-2211

$129 + 16.429%; free parking

Rates and rooms are secure until Thursday, April 25, 2019

When making reservations, identify yourself as part of the Egullet Chocolate and Confection Workshop group staying at the Courtyard St Louis
Downtown West, located at 2340 Market Street at Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

 

A few thoughts:

1. This hotel is about 7 minutes to the venue, and its right downtown with a short walk to the amazingly renovated Arch and all the downtown sightseeing spots. It is also right around the corner from the City Museum which is the coolest adult (and child) playground anywhere...really! Parking is free at the workshop site, but because its so close I'd encourage folks to share a Lyft or Uber. I would be surprised if its more than $5 each way. My restaurant is right in the middle of the two locations FWIW. The workshop site is across the highway from Forest Park which has our Art Museum, Zoo, History Museum, Science Museum...all of which are free because that's how we roll in St. Louis.

 

2. There are closer hotels including one that is next to the college, but none would let me block rooms because this is the same weekend as graduation for both Washington University and St. Louis University. My guess is you can book rooms on your own, and they may even be a bit cheaper. Try these out if you wish. We haven't locked any special events in yet, but the only one that might sway your housing decision is the Friday night show-n-tell social which traditionally has been held at the host hotel, but I'm leaning toward closing my restaurant and having it there as a private event. Stay tuned for that.

Hampton Inn & Suites St. Louis at Forest Park; 5650 Oakland Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110•(314) 655-3993 (CLOSEST OPTION)

Holiday Inn St. Louis - Forest Park; 5915 Wilson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110•(314) 645-0700 (CLOSE AND A BIT CHEAPER)

Red Roof PLUS+ St Louis - Forest Park/Hampton Avenue; 5823 Wilson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110•(314) 645-0101 (REALLY CHEAP AND YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, BUT CLOSE)

3. The hotel has rooms blocked off for a few days before and after the event for anyone wanting a vacation.

 

I will be posting about registration over the weekend. There's plenty of spaces so don't worry about getting your hotel before registering. Even on the Master Class you will have plenty of time to register.

 

Questions?

Edited November 9, 2018 by gfron1 (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Only one airport to fly into?

 

[gfron1]

On 11/9/2018 at 2:12 PM, Kerry Beal said:

Only one airport to fly into?

Yes, St. Louis Lambert. There are two smaller regionals but you won't get as many flights into them. The airport is in the far northwest of the metro, about 20 minutes to the downtown hotel. There is a metro/train but not something you want to bother with coming from the airport to the hotel.

Edited November 30, 2018 by gfron1 (log)

[gfron1]

Event Dates: May 18-19, 2019

St. Louis, MO Forest Park Community College Hospitality Building 

Master Class: May 17

*****

I know this is wayyyyy early, but for those of you who need to have things 100% locked in, here are the registration links. You'll notice I only have the core workshop listed. I'll add master classes and dinner once they are finalized.

 

Paypal.me link

or

Venmo link

 

To ensure your space in the workshop I will need your payment no later than April 12, 2019. 

 

Beyond that date - if you haven't paid - you will be considered to be on the wait list and and will have to see if someone drops out and wants to sell you their space. 

 

As in previous years - there are no refunds - you can sell your space to someone who is interested in coming but missed the deadline. In that case payment will have to be arranged between yourselves. 

[quiet1]

I can’t sign up yet (need to discuss w the family) but some things I’d be interested in possibly, as a chocolate-newbie type person who hasn’t been to previous events:

 

1. Chocolate choosing/tasting (if it can be arranged) - I find it kind of intimidating to venture away from stuff I can get my hands on locally because I don’t make enough that anyone is going to give me samples to try in advance, and buying a lot of small amounts adds up fast in both cost and amount of chocolate hanging around the place. But if I buy one type at a time I find it difficult to really compare taste/behavior from one to the other. (I mean, you can make notes, but I think especially for taste/smell it’s much easier if you have them there together and can go back and forth if needed.) Also, even if you decide on something new to try, they don’t all behave the same way and some might work better for certain applications than for others, etc. So a class/workshop providing the ability to sample a lot of options and discuss in the group, and then also some discussion on when you might use what or what tricks might help with certain products, etc.

 

2. Packaging. Possibly not as much fun as playing with food, but when giving chocolates away and especially for selling them, how things are presented can make a big difference. I know there’s standard packaging types most people use, and completely custom is often cost prohibitive for small scale, but perhaps some kind of discussion on how to make the easily available stuff look spiffier? Label design critique? 

 

3. Some kind of create-an-item “Chopped”-esque thing to see what people can come up with to use an interesting ingredient or ingredients? (I’m not thinking a competition or that everyone would make different things necessarily - it could start with a variety of things and then people propose ideas and then possibly only a few of those ingredients actually get used,, depending on practicalities? Purpose would be mostly to get people thinking/talking about new flavors and combinations and techniques, rather than about the production of finished pieces. Although obviously something finished to taste at the end would be good, though I suppose that need not even be finished chocolates. Or someone could volunteer to take on making something in advance using some/all of the selected ingredients, and then those would be the tasting items for the workshop?)

[tikidoc]

Have you heard if a teen can participate? She went to NOTL this year and did fine, she's a responsible kid who follows instructions well. My understanding is that there could be insurance issues? She would really like to know and I'd like to be able to let her know if she can. Thanks!

[MelissaH]

Aw, nuts! I was thinking about it (and a friend recently moved to St. Louis, to boot!) but I just got word that enough deposits are in to confirm that this year's edition of the fermentation science class will run. So the following Monday, I'll be on my way to Scotland.

 

Post tons of pictures, please.

[gfron1]

52 minutes ago, tikidoc said:

Have you heard if a teen can participate? She went to NOTL this year and did fine, she's a responsible kid who follows instructions well. My understanding is that there could be insurance issues? She would really like to know and I'd like to be able to let her know if she can. Thanks!

No insurance issues. If I recall the conversation correctly she attended without concern last year, and so would be fine this year. For anyone whose young person has not attended before I'm going to say high school and up. Just remember (anyone who hasn't brought a young person before), this is a commercial workspace with dangerous equipment, and it gets very hectic, so if the younger person is mature enough to stay focused on the task at hand, and they are high school aged, i welcome them. 

[tikidoc]

Thanks!!!

[gfron1]

I've recently been seeing great prices on flights into our 2nd tier airport across the river. Its actually closer to the hotel than Lambert International. The airport is called MidAmerica St. Louis (BLV) and is serviced by Allegient Airlines. You would save oodles of time on security and baggage. Here are some of their non-stop destinations:

 

Sandford/Orlando SFB

Tampa St Pete PIE

Vegas LAS

Ft. Myers PGD

Destin VPS

Jacksonville JAX

Myrtle Beach MYR

Ft. Lauderdale FLL

Phoenix/Mesa AZA

 

And if you're coming into Lambert, remember to check out Southwest and Frontier, both of which have directs and don't always come up on searches.

[tikidoc]

Just spoke to the Marriot and they said no reservation exists for us.

[gfron1]

2 hours ago, tikidoc said:

Just spoke to the Marriot and they said no reservation exists for us.

Working on it.

[gfron1]

Quote

 

I’m sorry to hear that your guest was having trouble making their reservations for May!  Please have your guests use the following booking link to make their reservations on Marriott.com:

Book your group rate for Egullet Chocolate & Confection Workshop

 

If you have questions or need help with the link, please do not hesitate to ask.  Guests may also call Marriott Reservations @ 866.661.8954 and reference the Egullet Workshop group rate at Courtyard St. Louis Downtown West.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by gfron1 (log)

[tikidoc]

The link worked, thanks!

 

When I called, the person from Marriot said they had nothing. The rep called the hotel, and they said they had nothing either. I'm assuming she didn't talk to the right person.

 

Rob already knows this, but the Science Museum is amazing. I went on a school trip with my older daughter when she was in elementary school, and we had a blast. Looking forward to taking Maddie too!

[ptw1953]

How I wish I were taking part in the Workshop, and meeting you all. Oh well...

 

Photos are definitely wished for.

 

Envious, that is what I am...😊

Edited November 28, 2018 by ptw1953
Bad spelling... (log)

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, gfron1 said:

 

Rob - this brings up only king bed rooms - I assume I'll have to call to get 2 doubles?

 

 

[gfron1]

25 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Rob - this brings up only king bed rooms - I assume I'll have to call to get 2 doubles?

Yeah, I would just call. Our contract calls for 5 king rooms and 15 doubles.