Winter Park chef eyes trendy pop-up in Sanford

UPDATE 4:07 p.m. 4-26-16: I just spoke with chef Nat. The “pop-up” will be substantially longer – one (1) month with the possibility of going permanent. I’ll post another story soon

Brown paper on the windows at 125 W 1st St. in downtown Sanford blocks the view of what appears to be the makings a trendy food event.

On Facebook and Instagram, a business named The Tennessee Truffle is posting intriguing photos that promise “popup coming soon!”

The sites are linked to Nat Russell, who since 2012 has been the executive chef at Café de France Restaurant, a Winter Park institution. A 2006 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Russell also has worked at The Boathouse and Luma on Park, both in Winter Park.

So what is a pop-up? Just one of the fastest growing trends in the food industry according to the online ticketing platform Eventbrite.

Pop-up restaurants are temporary eateries that open for a few nights, or sometimes just a single night. The concept allows chefs to try new concepts or menu items without the financial risk of establishing a permanent restaurant.

For guests, pop-up restaurants offer a one-of-a-kind dining experience – unusual location, personal interaction with the chef or unique menu/theme – with a dash of in-the-know exclusivity.

Social media is the main avenue for announcing the opening of a pop-up, so if your social network doesn’t include the cool kids, you might not know until after the pop-up is closed.

Eventbrite calculates the number of  pop-up restaurant events grew 82% in recent years.

That’s all the details I have for now. I’ve got calls into chef Nat Russell, as well as the building landlord. When I find out more, I’ll pass along the 411.

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