NEW YORK: Sichuan Soul Food Feast with Fly by Jing
Our first event in New York City was a Sichuan Soul Food Feast with the amazing Fly By Jing, on September 29, 2018 at Urban Outfitters’ Space Ninety8 in Brooklyn. It was meant to be a one-night-only dinner affair, but we had to open up seats for lunch on the same day, due to the overwhelming number of bookings we received.
Jing Gao is the woman behind Fly By Jing. Jing was born in Chengdu and her passion for Chinese cuisine started at an early age. She is a writer, cook and restaurateur and her work has been featured in numerous publications and television shows including NYMag, Monocle, Wallpaper, Travel Channel, CNN, BBC and Vice. In 2014, Jenny launched Baoism, China’s first modern fast casual dining concept focused on transparent sourcing. Fly By Jing brings to life the flavors of classic Sichuan soul food through a line of artisanal food products and pop up dining experiences around the world. It is a celebration of the vibrant street food culture of Sichuan, inspired by the bustling “fly restaurants” of Chengdu, old school eateries so good they attract diners like flies, our aim is to share flavors and experiences that capture this spirit. She has brought her Sichuan Chili Crisp to the USA and has received incredibly favorable reviews.
For this particular event, we were so thrilled to be having it at one of our favorite lifestyle brands– Urban Outfitters’ events concept space, Space Ninety8 in Williamsburg.
We welcomed guests with a cocktail from Ming River Baijiu, which just launched in the USA this June 2018. If Jenny’s cuisine is Sichuan, this is the “liquid” version, crafted by China’s longest continuously operating distillery, Luzhou Laojiao Distillery. It is produced using time-honored methods passed from master to apprentice for over 20 generations. “Baijiu has for years been the world’s most popular spirits category, but it’s still not well understood outside of China,” explains co-founder Derek Sandhaus. “There’s a tendency in Western media to focus on the drink’s potency and otherness, which misses the fact that baijiu is a diverse category of spirits with expressions that come in many strengths and styles. Two baijius can be as distinct from one another as gin is to tequila.” Ming River’s fruity sweetness is the perfect counterpoint to the numbing spice of Sichuan cuisine.
Throughout lunch/ dinner, we also served wines from Wolffer Estate Vineyard, a sustainable family-owned winery at The Hamptons in Long Island— and they also celebrated 30 years this 2018!
Here’s a photogenic recap of the event! xx
