If there was ever a short list for a city to host a pop-up produce dinner for 80 media and influencers, Manhattan would be near the top — if not No. 1, of course.
The Mushroom Council dug further for its April 18 Earth Month event by choosing the sustainably minded venue of Sommwhere on Ludlow.
The purpose was to show — as well as tell — mushrooms’ inherent sustainability to an array of the nation’s most influential New York City-based food media and social personalities, all timed to Earth Month, according to the council’s exclusive report to The Packer and PMG.
Learn: Mushrooms, the commodity
When guests entered the space, they were greeted with fresh florals, moss and mushrooms in an art display, which also created an opportunity for guests to “forage” their own mushrooms in the city to take home.
Throughout the evening, guests mingled with Gale Ferranto, president of Buona Foods, and Jack Guan, national sales and marketing manager for Guan Mushrooms. These mushroom growers shared their sustainability stories and farm practices with media and influencers.
The mushroom-centric menu was curated by James Beard Award-nominated Chef Kiki Aranita and featured:
- Oyster mushrooms, Spanish mussels, sweet brown rice, Gamtae seaweed.
- Blended mushrooms, pork and water chestnut, seared wonton with chili peppah water mayo.
- Crispy mushrooms, coconut and collard luau (gluten-free and vegan).
- Shroomwit Sliders (Philly’s famous vegetarian cheesesteak).
- Chocolate butter mochi with miso caramel butter shiitakes (gluten-free).
Guests expressed delight in the bites and amazement at how sweet and savory shiitake mushrooms could be in the dessert that Aranita prepared.
The Mushroom Council worked with an illustrator to create a mural and messaging in the space instead of printing materials, as a way to reduce waste and focus on sustainability, the key message.
The council also focused on spreading awareness among the influencers and media that:
- Up to 1 million pounds of mushrooms can be produced on 1 acre.
- Producing 1 pound of mushrooms requires only 1.8 gallons of water.
- Producing 1 pound of mushrooms generates only .07 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents.
- Producing 1 pound of mushrooms requires only 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity.
