A couple of years ago, Brendan Torpey created Shaken and Stirred Mixology, a Bluffton-based bartender catering service. Mixologist for hire. From weddings to divorce parties and everything in between. The concept has grown quickly across the Low Country.

On December 8th, he and a local chef started a series of multi course pop up dinners. They are calling the series Bananas and Caviar. The next is coming to Bluffton on Sunday night, February 12th. We’ll let Brendan fill in some details from there.

JB: How did this end up as a pop-up dinner series?

Brendan: This happened purely by chance. I met chef Chris Sullivan on-line. I saw him post a couple of dishes and I said “there’s no way this guy is in Bluffton. There’s no way.”

I did a little digging and found he was a Chef de Partie at Ever in Chicago. A 2 Michelin Star restaurant. Turns out his family has owned Mulberry Street Trattoria. He told me he is back in Bluffton helping out with his family’s restaurant for a little while.

At this point, I was actually looking for a chef for my wedding, so I had to meet him. We met, we hired him for our wedding. He was exactly what we were looking for.

The more we discussed, the more we agreed we’d like to do more. He wanted to do more with food and I wanted to challenge myself. So I asked him if he’d be interested in collaborating on a dinner and….bang.

JB: Do you guys collaborate on the food and drinks or are you working individually?

Brendan: So far it’s been bouncing back and forth. He’s primarily doing food and I’m trying to do drinks, but there is some collaboration back and forth.

JB: Someone who is coming to the dinner, is there a bar available outside of the drinks you pair with this dinner?

Brendan: No. The only food available and the only drinks available are what is offered with the dinner. There is no wine available, even for sale.

Last time we promised 8 courses and delivered, I think, ten. But because you cannot possibly drink that many cocktails, we offer half portions or lower ABV cocktails in the dinner. We will probably play with some mocktail variations.

JB: So this dinner coming up on February 12th is 8 courses?

Brendan: Yeah, that’s how we are billing it. It will probably be closer to 13 to be honest with you. Some of them will literally be like a bite.

JB: $200 a pop right? Per person? What does that include?

Brendan: That includes tax and gratuity. No one is expected to leave a gratuity, if they want to, that’s always appreciated.

JB: How many seats will be available?

Brendan: We are selling 20 tickets. THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT

JB: There is not a theme with the dinner, correct? It’s not-say-an Italian menu. It’s pretty much all over the map, right?

Brendan: It’s very eclectic. One dish you will be in Parma. The next dish, you will be in Southeast Asia somewhere. Then we may come back and do something classically French. It’s all over the map and I really try to pair flavors with ingredients that are native that area as well.

Bananas and Caviar Pop Up Dinner Series
Sunday, February 12, 2023 6pm
Mulberry Street Trattoria
1476 Fording Island Road
Bluffton, SC 29910

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