What: The Holiday Food Experiment
When: Dec 5th, 4 p.m.
Where: The Bell House – Gowanus, Brooklyn
Why: If there’s one time when experimenting with food might be unwelcomed it’s during the holiday season, when the consumption of well prepared food is the central event. But, Nick Suarez and Theodore Peck, staples on the local foodie and cook-off scene, are playing with fire and food—think Chocolate Stout Cakes and Holiday Surprise Balls—by way of their upcoming Holiday Experiment.
Fans of past Experiments will feel a sense of nostalgia as the Food Experiments return to their inaugural chef-testant grounds at the Bell House. And, while New York foodies don’t need a reason to spend money on good food, the season is the inspiration behind the 25 spots already filled by chef-testants looking to experiment with tradition.
Nick recalls a memorable experiment of his own, “The first Thanksgiving where my family didn’t host the dinner we were greeted with the driest turkey I’ve ever tasted, disgusting ambrosia and ice cold gelatinous gravy. As a foodie family, we made a pact from then on that we would host Thanksgiving every year at our house, and it’s been that way ever since. “
To help participants avoid a similar memory, stop by and taste-test with judges Andrew Knowlton, Restaurant Editor for Bon Appétit magazine and Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery. Already listed menu items include Green Bean Casserole, an entire holiday goose, gingerbread bites, Chocolate Stout Cakes, and one titled Holiday Surprise Balls. With entrants coming from a variety of backgrounds and food traditions, the duo advise that winning cook-offs is 50% logistics and 50% technique and proper seasoning.
“Our Experiment’s judges always say, “More Salt!” so chefs, use it smartly. Life is too short to eat bad food on Thanksgiving!” said Suarez. Or any time for that matter.
Cost: $20, in advance $25 day of (A portion of ticket sales 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