Tasting Collective Launches Exclusive Dining Club in Detroit

News Summary

Detroit will welcome Tasting Collective, a membership-only dining club offering exclusive chef-led dining events. Following successful launches in other cities, this marks Detroit as the 18th location for the club, which aims to enhance the city’s culinary scene through unique tasting experiences. Annual membership costs $165, with an introductory rate of $99 for the first 500 members. The inaugural event is scheduled for May 19, featuring a collaboration with local restaurants. This initiative reflects Detroit’s evolving food culture and recognition within the culinary community.

Detroit is set to welcome a new membership-only dining club called Tasting Collective, which aims to enhance the culinary experience in the city by offering exclusive chef-led dining events. Tasting Collective, which launched in New York City in 2016, has expanded its presence and now features Detroit as its 18th city in the United States to join the growing network.

The Tasting Collective hosts monthly, chef-inspired multi-course dinners at various independent restaurants across the country. The club is noted for its exclusive nature, allowing members to participate in events where chefs create unique tasting menus and engage directly with attendees about the culinary process. The membership numbers have surged to nearly 15,000 nationwide since its inception.

The annual membership fee is set at $165. However, the first 500 members in Detroit will have the opportunity to join at a discounted rate of $99 per person. Members can purchase tickets for exclusive monthly dinner events priced at $75 each, excluding tax and gratuity. Non-member guests can also join these events at a cost of $95 each. Importantly, members have the privilege to bring up to three guests to each event, provided they are present.

Each chef-led event will involve chefs creating special tasting menus tailored to the occasion. Chefs will present and demystify the courses during the events, allowing members to interact and ask questions. Feedback mechanisms are integrated into the experience; members can fill out feedback cards about the food, which will be communicated directly to the respective chefs post-event.

The inaugural dining event in Detroit is scheduled to take place on May 19 at Coeur, a restaurant located on Nine Mile west of Woodward Ave in Ferndale. Following this, the June event is planned for Leña in Brush Park, which has gained acclaim as one of the Top 10 Best New Restaurants. Additionally, Vecino in Midtown, recognized as the Restaurant of the Year by the Detroit Free Press, will host a dinner in July.

It is noteworthy that tickets for these dining experiences do not include beverages, allowing members the freedom to select from a range of options. Alongside the dining events, members can also benefit from additional perks, savings on food-related products, services, and culinary classes, enhancing the overall membership value.

The establishment of Tasting Collective in Detroit reflects the city’s growing food scene and its recognition in the culinary community, marked by awards from the prestigious James Beard Foundation. The founder, Nat Gelb, emphasized that the introduction of this dining club is a response to the evolving food culture in Detroit, highlighting the city’s diverse culinary offerings and celebrating local chefs.

As Tasting Collective prepares for its launch in Detroit, anticipation builds among food enthusiasts eager to explore the tailored culinary experiences the club promises to deliver.

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Additional Resources

• Detroit Free Press: Tasting Collective Dining Club
• Click on Detroit: Members-Only Dining Club
• Axios: Members-Only Dining Club in Detroit
• Wikipedia: Dining Club
• Hour Detroit: Tasting Menus in Metro Detroit