gowanus girls

So, what’s up with Chaos Cooking?

We’re hooked! We can tell you that.

Here’s why….

Samantha + I read about Chaos Cooking in Edible Brooklyn last fall and we were intrigued — a bunch of strangers cooking together and sharing food and wine? We’re in!

We attended a Chaos Cooking event at an apartment in Bushwick — thanks, Crystal Heller, for hosting! — we had sooo much fun, and met CC founder Joe Che there. In our usual way, chatting turned to brainstorming and then to planning in earnest — and before we’d left for the evening, we were telling Joe that Gowanus Girls would love to host a special Valentine’s Day edition of Chaos Cooking.

We did. And it was FUN. 150 people in a truly magical loft setting, mingling, sipping wine and whipping up over 100 dishes of delicious food. Plus a little fun flirting and dancing and, you know, etc.

It’s random and social — but what makes it so fun + addictive? Joe has hit on something for sure; here’s what we think it is:

* the sheer chaos! — the energy created by a bunch of strangers getting to know each other over good food — sampling, sharing, tasting — is contagious. it’s a turn-on.
* the people — food brings people together in the most basic way, and CC draws like-minded folks who love to cook and eat and share a bit of a sense of adventure.
* a mix of the unexpected — you’ve never done anything quite like it. and that’s intoxicating!
* the food — it’s a kitchen chock full of cooks turning out some awesome deliciousness. these people like to cook and they turn it out a little for CC. you get to taste tons of great food, and many of the dishes are more sophisticated than you might expect.
* it’s tres Brooklyn! — you know it — all of the coolest stuff is happening in Brooklyn right now! this is where, through Joe + his fiancee, Margaret, CC got it’s start (though it’s in other cities around the country now, too), and it captures the spirit of cool + social + fun + community all swirled into one appealing mix.

So, come join us on Thursday, April 11 for the next edition of Chaos Cooking!

Mix, mingle, cook… get undone with us in Gowanus!

And look out for a few fun twists — we’ll have a fab tarot card reader (Theda Jackson-Mau — she was also at our market last fall and she’s phenomenal), food prep tunes by DJ/Mr. and retro-fun from our friends over at The Royal Palms Shuffleboard Parlor.

Chaos Cooking Cambodia Hosted by Gowanus Girls
A Spontaneous, 100-Course Meal * Part of the Forward Festival, celebrating Cambodian Arts + Culture * A Very Loose Theme, Cook What You Like!
Thursday, April 11, 7pm – midnight
Gowanus Loft – 61 9th Street, #C8, bet 2nd Ave + Smith St, Brooklyn
$20 / person in advance, $25 at the door, space limited

Tix + full info!

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Older Posts — Chaos Cooking Cambodia + more….

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Gowanus Girls is an extension of Curious Jane — we’re a local creative arts + community events organization. We founded an all-female designers + food makers market last year and we’ve hosted other events since. The latest: a new edition of Chaos Cooking. Come cook with us in Gowanus!

Here’s the info….

Chaos Cooking Cambodia, Hosted by Gowanus Girls
Thursday, April 11, 7pm – midnight
Gowanus Loft – 61 9th Street, #C8, bet 2nd Ave + Smith St, Brooklyn
$20 / person in advance, $25 at the door, space limited

Get tix + full info!

Sizzling details:
* Presented as part of the Forward Festival at Gowanus Loft to support the Season of Cambodia
* Be inspired by Asian / international cultures when you select your dish, or go for it and cook Cambodian! Think globally! Cook what you like!
* $20 (includes a glass of bubbly, great music and a fun surprise or two!)
* Everyone must cook a dish to share + bring a bottle of wine to pour
* Limited to 200 tix! (the Valentine’s Day event sold out!)
* Don’t forget — it’s BYO everything! utensils, pots + pans, ingredients, sense of adventure!

Chaos Cooking is a social community centered around cooking + conversation. Guests bring ingredients + utensils to make a tasty dish of their choice and a nice bottle of wine to drink + share. We provide ovens, work surfaces, a chilled glass of bubbly and a fun setting.

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So, via Curious Jane, we just ran Make It / Take It: A Roving Hackerspace for Cool, Creative Girls, on MLK Day — and several of our crafty Gowanus Girls were on hand leading fun specialty workshops!

But we’ve also got another fun event brewing — this one for grown-ups! And with a great group we’ve recently met. Chaos Cooking!

Chaos Cooking is a social community centered around cooking + conversation. We’re hosting a special Valentine’s Day edition. Come! It’s going to be a great time. With music by DJ Misbehaviour, goodies by Babeland, photo booth fun by Magnolia Photo Booth and beer lovingly provided by Brooklyn Brewery!

Here’s how it will work….

Guests will bring ingredients + utensils to make a tasty, creative dish of their choice and a nice bottle of wine to drink + share. We will provide warm ovens, work surfaces, a chilled glass of bubbly and a fun setting, complete with cuddle puddles and a few sultry surprises.

Sizzling details:

* BYO everything — knives, cutting boards, pots + pans, recipe ingredients, attitude!

* Everyone must cook a dish to share, bring a bottle of wine to pour, and help restore the space to its original condition

* Come on your own or come as a pair

* Wear red, cream or black — dress sharp! Look festive.

* Thursday, February 14, 7 to 11pm, Gowanus Loft, 61 9th Street, #C8

Meet, mingle, cook… get undone!

Intrigued? Get full info and buy tickets here.

See you on Valentine’s Day!

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Thanks to everyone — visitors + vendors — who joined us for our first market days in October!

Here are some super-fun pics from Gowanus Girls!

Everyone had a great time, our talented lady designers and food makers sold lots of wonderful things and many people asked us about doing a holiday market. We were tempted! But Gowanus Grove is closed for the season, and we’re choosy about space. So no holiday market this year — but stay tuned for more markets, and other Gowanus Girls events, in the winter and spring.

In fact, we’ve got a great one coming up in January — right here in Gowanus, of course.

Details very soon!

And in the meantime, if you’re feeling it for Gowanus, the holidays and fun shopping finds — and who isn’t?! — pop on over to the Gowanus Nite Market and Build It Green’s Crafted at the Canal.

We’ll see you there!

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Hi there. We’re the women — though we don’t mind at all thinking of ourselves as girls — behind Curious Jane, a summer camp and after-school program for girls focused on design and creativity.

We operate out of several schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other cities, but our business offices are in Gowanus, and we have a little home-grown idea that we’ve decided to turn into a reality.

We’re always looking for fun new ways to extend the Curious Jane brand and to focus on what we love and do well — girls + design + community — in new ways.

So, how about a Gowanus-based market focused on original designs and fabulous food from tremendously talented local ladies?

Yeah, how about it?!

We found the perfect spot, we’re running it pop-up style two weekends in October with more markets coming in spring, we’ll have great craft activities to keep kids busy while you shop, we’re adding a fundraising element to give back to the revitalization of the areas surrounding the Gowanus Canal (a designated Superfund site), and we’re sussing out a stellar roster of the best, most compelling Brooklyn-based lady designers and food makers we can find.

Come!

To the Gowanus Girls Indie Design + Food Mart.

Two October Saturdays, the 13th and the 27th, noon to sunset, rain or shine.

See the list of VENDORS who’ll be joining us!

Shop, support, sip some sangria.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Event Sponsor: Manufacture New York