Hippest hoppest pop-up ever? Kottu food truck chef Syd Suntha recently hosted an epic, 36-course meal + live performance experience inspired by the music of the Wu-Tang Clan at Queen Anne Beer Hall. And you better believe it was a banger.
A full-on marching band led by a fire twirler brought the heat to start, while nine local chefs helped prepare a marathon dinner with dishes like Ube I Like It Raw (beef tartare) + Lamb In Da Front (lamb belly with “ghost face chilla” pepper). In-between courses, performances by stand-up comedians, rappers + local break dance troupe Massive Monkees helped keep heads bobbin’.
🎤 Cooking up hits
In case you couldn’t tell, Syd is a chef who likes to go big with pop culture obsessions. He’s already hosted two other fan-friendly dinners in Seattle over the past several months — Elevenses (based on “Lord of the Rings”) + Dangerous Nights (based on the Netflix comedy show “I Think You Should Leave”). Can you say eclectic tastes?
The Wu-Tang pop-up — which won an Eventbrite accelerator program prize — was the most ambitious of them all. It’s an idea Syd had in his head for four years, based on his own love of the Wu-Tang Clan from when he was a kid.
Before becoming a chef, Syd also had a career as a touring musician — and like any true performer, his biggest thrill is the “look on the faces of the audience” when they first see his latest production.
🎹 Ready for an encore
While continuing to keep his food cart Kottu going, Syd said he has several more pop culture-based pop-ups he wants to try. His intention is to host one per month and reveal a batch of themes four at a time.
Syd — who usually posts pop-up announcements on Instagram — wouldn’t reveal what the next themes would be yet, but dropped a hint for one, saying “you can’t talk about it all.”
Care to hazard a guess — oh, no, no, no?