A few months ago, I noticed a very intriguing sign in a storefront window of an establishment under construction. The shop was to be called 'The Walk-In Cookbook'. Needless to say, my curiosity was peaked, but I resisted the urge to research the hell out of the topic and decided to wait until opening day to find out what it was all about.
Today, my patience was rewarded as I sauntered into the newly-opened establishment to take a look around. The Walk In Kitchen, it appears, is kind of like an Ikea for cooking. There are brightly colored posters that feature photographs of meals, accompanied by ingredient lists and the cost of said ingredients in 2 and 4 serving iterations.
There are also recipe cards, which double as shopping lists as you make your way around the store selecting from the attractively displayed produce and other food items. The layout resembles a professional kitchen, and you kind of get the feeling that a cooking class is going to start up at any minute. Except with this concept, you take the ingredients home with you and conduct the class yourself.
Now, all of this sounds really cool and innovative, and for a few minutes, you start to imagine yourself walking in after a long, hectic day and not having to think about what to make for dinner, and how much of each ingredient to buy. And then you look at the prices. *gasp*
While I live in an affluent neighborhood, I really can't imagine that the idea of paying $24 for two servings of spaghetti marinara and meatballs that you have to cook yourself is going to be terribly appealing to many people. This area has a high concentration of very good, affordable restaurants, as well as many produce and gourmet markets at a variety of price points. And while I might be willing to pay a premium for a small amount of that one ingredient that I happened to need in a hurry, I don't see myself paying that kind of premium for an entire meal's worth of items.
I hate to see any business fail, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for this establishment. But in the meantime, I'll be sticking to my budget gourmet lifestyle.
Today, my patience was rewarded as I sauntered into the newly-opened establishment to take a look around. The Walk In Kitchen, it appears, is kind of like an Ikea for cooking. There are brightly colored posters that feature photographs of meals, accompanied by ingredient lists and the cost of said ingredients in 2 and 4 serving iterations.
There are also recipe cards, which double as shopping lists as you make your way around the store selecting from the attractively displayed produce and other food items. The layout resembles a professional kitchen, and you kind of get the feeling that a cooking class is going to start up at any minute. Except with this concept, you take the ingredients home with you and conduct the class yourself.
Now, all of this sounds really cool and innovative, and for a few minutes, you start to imagine yourself walking in after a long, hectic day and not having to think about what to make for dinner, and how much of each ingredient to buy. And then you look at the prices. *gasp*
While I live in an affluent neighborhood, I really can't imagine that the idea of paying $24 for two servings of spaghetti marinara and meatballs that you have to cook yourself is going to be terribly appealing to many people. This area has a high concentration of very good, affordable restaurants, as well as many produce and gourmet markets at a variety of price points. And while I might be willing to pay a premium for a small amount of that one ingredient that I happened to need in a hurry, I don't see myself paying that kind of premium for an entire meal's worth of items.
I hate to see any business fail, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for this establishment. But in the meantime, I'll be sticking to my budget gourmet lifestyle.
Comments