On the Menu is an innovative service focused on creating experiential events in which guests delve into the tastes of the past, allowing one-of-a-kind sensory experiences in which party goers literally consuming food history. Working with customers, The Fork Front conducts research on the food history of a customer’s chosen theme. The company then curates a unique menu, which enables event attendees to catch a glimpse of a bygone era through a unique culinary adventure.
With our extensive knowledge and experience using unique cookery resources, we work with clients to undertake historical research and create customized menus to suit all needs. Menus can be designed for a range of occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthday dinners, book clubs, and holiday parties.
On one side of the curated menu will be the details of the dishes that will be served at the event. On the other side of the menu will be an explanation of foods in relation to the event.
Here are some recent examples of curated menus that illustrate the diverse work that we have carried out:
The Great Gatsby & The Jazz Age Drinks Party
“On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors d’oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold.” – F. Scott Fitsgerald, The Great Gatsby
For this drinks party, the clients requested a menu which combined the literature and food history of the 1920s. Integrating scenes from The Great Gatsby with historical research on 1920s food, the resultant party menu provided a window onto food trends of the Jazz Age.
Book Group Meeting Menu – East German Theme
A book group in the Washington, D.C. area commissioned The Fork Front to research and write a menu, which reflected the setting of the book, Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck. The result was an East German themed menu of afternoon canapes and light refreshments to facilitate the groups’ book discussion.
Themed Wedding Menu & Keepsake Favor – Second World War British Home Front
Each wedding is unique, particularly when it is a themed event. The Fork Front creates food history menus that can match any themed wedding, adding a special touch to the celebratory table. We work with each couple to research and create a bespoke menu, which fits with your needs on your special day. Our menus are designed not only to mark your wedding, but also to serve as one-of-a-kind keepsake items that allow your guests to remember your momentous day.
The wedding couple can also commission us to design recipe bundles to accompany their distinctive dining experience. Guests will remember the wedding with these keepsakes, which will enable them to recreate the dishes at their homes.
Holidays & Food
Lunar New Year – Korean Seollal Party
Each year, millions of people in Asia and the Asian diaspora populations around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. Koreans know the holiday as “Seollal”. The Korean national holiday is an important family event that reinforces traditional foodways by eating key foods to mark the holiday. This menu reflects the foods eaten during the celebration in Korean homes.
Options & Pricing
Service options and pricing are a la carte. Customers can choose from any of the options below to make their event truly special:
Initial Consulting Fee
Minimum of 1 hour
$50
Research and compilation of menu list
Digital List
$50 per hour
Menu design and construction
Digital Menu
$50 per hour
Menu printing
$50 per hour + cost of printing and paper
Recipe compilation and bundling
Digital or print
$50 per hour + cost of printing and paper
Get in Touch
If you have questions, would like to know more, or would like to schedule a consultation, please get in touch by filling out our contact form
