What: The Brunch Experiment
Where: The Bell House, Gowanus, Brooklyn
When: Sunday, March 28th, 12-4 p.m.
Why: Nearly four years ago, Slate dated the development of New York brunch culture to the early 80’s and a six-block stretch of Amsterdam on the Upper West Side. These days in New York, having a meal is not just a basic human need it’s an event. Big Apple foodies have shown they will travel tedious hours, hopping ‘hoods, and standing in sidewalk lines for the taste of something special. And we have people like cook-off organizers Nick Suarez and Theodore Peck to thank for giving us such culinary adventures like the Brooklyn Beer, Cheese, and Chocolate Experiments, and now this, the fifth installment of their Brooklyn-based Food Experiment: Brunch.
As past chef-testants themselves, Suarez and Peck are aware of the broad spectrum of ingredients that the 20 chefs must choose from. Yet their advice is simple. “Make sure your dish is highly seasoned and balanced, logistically possible given the parameters. And the food could be transported and re-heated using a chafing dish,” said Suarez.
Suarez, who enjoys brunching in his own kitchen or at Bark Hot Dogs, said he is particularly egg-cited about a contestant who might do a mini-drink or go the molecular gastronomy route with an egg quiche using uni and sous-vide techniques.
With Stonyfield donating yogurt and milk, and Organic Valley providing the eggs, cream, and butter, contestants will have ample supplies to wow judges like Andrew Knowlton, Iron Chef judge and restaurant editor at Bon Appétit Magazine, chef Sean Remboldt from Diner/Marlow and Sons, plus a surprise judge.
The stakes are higher than ever for this spring’s Food Experiment. The amateur chef who gets the majority of the 300 attendees to swoon and subsequently vote for their table will win delicious prizes, including a night’s stay at Le Parker Meridian, a brunch for two at Norma’s, and two round trip tickets from Jet Blue.
“We are looking for the perfect bite, not a whole brunch meal,” said Suarez.
Cost: $20 Advance (free after party). A portion of ticket sales will help support Ovarian Cancer Research.
How to get there: Take the F train to Brooklyn. Exit 4th Avenue near 9th street. Walk North on 4th avenue towards 8th street. Turn left on 7th to the address. (The Bell House, 149 7th Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn, 718.643.6510, thefoodexperiments.com)
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram