Arts + Lettuce Goes Out with a Bang!

I was working on a blogiversary post about all the things I’m looking forward to in 2013 on the Cincinnati food scene when I learned this news, which is too exciting not to warrant its own post. The monthly series of underground dinners known as Arts + Lettuce by chef Ryan Santos and his crew at Please is coming to an end – and transforming!

If you haven't been to an Arts + Lettuce dinner yet, this video will give you a glimpse. The January dinners are already sold out, with just two A+L series left, in February and March. Come spring, Ryan will be changing things up with outdoor wood-fired dinners at Carriage House Farm as Artist in Residence, similar to the one from November in this video via {513}eats. (Stay tuned for info on more pop-up dinners at Carriage House Farm from other local chefs.)

Meanwhile, Ryan has been accepted to stage at Michelin-starred in de wulf restaurant in Belgium, and will be offering some special dinner deals to help defray the costs of his trip. His pop-up dinners for just 10-12 people each have so many loyal followers – and continue to get so much buzz – that they often sell out in the proverbial blink of an eye. Want a guaranteed seat? Email him at ryan@pleasetoeatyou.com to get in on offers like these:

For the last two monthly Arts + Lettuce series in February and March (three nights one week each month, each with two seatings, in the Streetpops space formerly occupied by Fork Heart Knife in OTR), instead of the usual $55, for $80/person you’ll get extra special, double secret notice (my words, not Ryan’s) of the schedule and the opportunity to reserve which date/time you want to attend. (The additional $25 will go toward his travel expenses.)

Ryan also plans to pre-sell seats for his first spring dinner at Carriage House Farm in May for $100 instead of what he expects to be a usual $65. And in February or March he plans to do a dinner at the prior A+L location for $150/person, which will include beverage pairings for each course rather than the usual BYOB format. You can also make donations here.

Dining at several Arts + Lettuce dinners last year, I had the opportunity to taste what a talented chef truly focused on cooking locally and seasonally can bring to the table throughout the year.

Ryan Santos is one of the most exciting young chef/entrepreneurs in Cincinnati, and I can’t wait to see how he and his crew will grow to be next!