Courtesy of The Dinner Bell
A different kind of meal preparation concept debuts tomorrow in Cottleville.
As opposed to the home-delivered kits that have grown popular, The Dinner Bell (475 Miralago Shore) is a meal preparation kitchen that invites guests to whip up dishes at its facility—with all equipment and ingredients ready to use—package them in provided aluminum trays, and take home to warm or freeze for later.
And for those always dreading dirty dishes, The Dinner Bell takes care of that too.
"Everything is set up," says executive chef and co-owner Carson Burks, formerly of The Legends Country Club in Eureka. "The ingredients are laid out. All you have to do it put it together and leave the mess behind."
Courtesy of The Dinner Bell
Carson Burks
So how does it work, exactly? Patrons can visit The Dinner Bell website ahead of time to pick out which meals (there's a minimum of four) to prepare during a "session." They then decide on the date and time to come in and prepare the meals. The July menu boasts such dishes as chicken spiedini, veggie enchiladas, Call of the Wild rice chicken casserole, a loaded breakfast casserole, and Oreo gooey butter cake.
"It's nice I can put my country club cooking experience into something that tastes really good rather than pre-made stuff you find at the grocery store," Burks says.
A session typically takes one hour, and Dinner Bell staff is available for assistance. Patrons can sign up for times Tuesday through Friday at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., or 6:30 p.m; Saturday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., or noon; and Sunday at 11 a.m., noon, or 1 p.m.
Courtesy of The Dinner Bell
Courtesy of The Dinner Bell
For those who'd rather skip cooking all together, The Dinner Bell also offers a to-go option. Any entree, side dish, or dessert on that month's menu will be available from the facility's freezer. Patrons can order online, drive to the facility, and have a staff member deliver it to their car.
Co-owner and dietician Tamara Whitfield adds it's all about convenience—and a good time.
"We just want people to think of it as a great place to come and enjoy themselves," she says, adding: "It's their dinner solution instead of going into anxiety mode on the way home from work about 'What am I going to fix for dinner tonight?'"
And, Whitfield adds, it doesn't sacrifice personal touch.
"It's still their own cooking," she says. "That's heartwarming, knowing they're feeding their families something they made themselves."
