The Art of the Pop-up

Chef Brian Roland of Crave Culinaire is transforming his Venue Naples event space into a restaurant one night a month throughout summer—with local chefs on hand to help out.

He’s captured our attention with whimsical displays at philanthropic events, where grass is a common thread in gardens of molecular gastronomic delights. But what Brian Roland is truly great at—putting on a knock-your-socks-off display of culinary artistry—has been largely reserved for private homes through Crave Culinaire, his chef service and catering company. Because of that, he has put a lot of thought and planning into perfecting pop-ups, one-night restaurants that he’s often combined into cohesive series.

This summer, he didn’t disappoint, rolling out the “Star Chefs Pop-Up Series” at his newly minted Venue Naples, an event space in North Naples that opened in January. The way it works is that Roland invites a “star” for each evening. It’s that guest chef’s call whether he wants to collaborate fully with the Crave team on the entire menu or if he would like to do one course, then Crave Culinaire will do another and so on.

The first was May 31, featuring Bob Boye of Cru; the next is Carlos Torres of Grey Oaks Country Club on June 28 (tickets are $75 and $125 with wine pairings). The exact dates are to be determined for the rest, but the line-up is set with Derrick Fox (formerly Peltz), runner-up on TV’s MasterChef, in July; David Speegle, food consultant and writer, in August; and Vincenzo Betulia, owner of The French, Osteria Tulia and Bar Tulia, in September (prices may vary depending on the guest).

For thrill seekers, Roland’s reputation precedes him. Add a string of notable kitchen collaborators to the mix, and it’s a recipe for an exciting epicurean summer.

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