Slideluck Lunchshow

Photography By HENRY HARGREAVES, words by HENRY HARGREAVES

INTERNATIONAL STAFF

We have always had staff and interns from all over the world – Italy, Japan, Israel, Dominican Republic, India, etc. - which is reflected in the food that’s made. Everyone pitches in to help. Today for dessert Dasha made apple bottom cakes with vanilla ice cream, an old recipe from her family in Ukraine. Staff also tend to stay with us for a long time, I see the lunches as being key reason for this. It’s also policy that anyone from the Slideluck family that is passing through town will join us for lunch.  And if there is a visitor who wants to start a Slideluck in their community, we invite them to come by for a midday meal.

'we rarely speak about work. We talk about what else is going on in each others lives and you get to know each other better and have a cultural exchange and fun'

'Staff meals been the glue for us, no questions asked'

THE NEED FOR A BREAK

Theres a point in the day when your productivity starts to peter out so you have to step away, have human contact, nourish yourself with real food and then reengage with renewed vigor. It’s essentially an opportunity to break the monotony of answering emails, doing production, etc.  We sit around the table and actually look at each other, rather than hunching over our computers. During lunchtime discussions we rarely speak about work - we talk about what else is going on in each others lives, get to know each other better, have a little cultural exchange and fun.

BEING A NON-PROFIT

Staff meals been the glue for us, no questions asked. We have been through every challenge a non-profit could make but at the end of the day while our friends are toiling away in their corporate offices they can see us on Instagram living large and eating fantastic meals on a Monday at 2.30.

I also produced a small book 12 years ago ‘Penne for my Peeps,’

STAFF MEAL INSPIRATION

My father has a friend in Seattle, Peter Miller who runs an architectual bookstore. He published a book, Lunch at the Shop. They had been closing the bookstore during lunch and making a meal together. I devoured his book after getting it for Christmas and wrote him a long letter as I was inspired by much of it and how we overlapped. I will see him in a couple of weeks and am looking forward to comparing notes.

One of my few regrets in the food world is I never made it to El Bulli, I’m fascinated by the cult and mystique around what they were doing. I had the opportunity to photograph and hear him speak about the book, The Family Meal. They are just such simple, straightforward recipes. Similar to what we do for, Slideluck Lunchshow, the ingredients could often be counted on one hand.  It’s always about respecting whats in season, using good ingredients, prepared well and with love.

I also produced a small cookbook for my friends 12 years ago ‘Penne for my Peeps,’ of some of my favorite pasta dishes, I’d love to redo it this year, this time with photos and new recipes.

READING TO EACH OTHER

We have a tradition of reading books friends have published during dessert. We go in a circle and read a couple of pages each for around 15mins. Over a couple of months we will go through a whole book. We then invite the authors themselves to come eat and read a passage. Today we were reading Sloane Crosley, and David S Abraham who is also director of Sideluck in Ubud, Bali.

THE MEAL

Pinches: Baguette with goat cheese, roasted red peppers, anchovies

Baguette with Hudson Valley ricotta, honey, fresh black pepper

Pasta: Linguini tossed in reduced beet cooking water, Regalis truffle oil,  wild arugula, Pecorino Romano

Salads: Kale salad with roasted kombucha squash, toasted hazelnut, red onions and dried cranberries

Carrot salad with sesame oil, lemon zest, toasted almonds, parsley, black sesame seeds

Served with beverages from our partners:  Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ale and Sourervain Cabernet Sauvignon

THE TEAM

Casey, Jenn, Dasha, Cameron, Winston

Learn more about Slideluck here!