About Les Marmitons
Les Marmitons is a gastronomic and social club of gentlemen who share a common interest in fine food, wine and the culinary arts. Through regular gatherings, Members gain knowledge and experience in the preparation, and presentation of various fine cuisines under the direction of a specially selected professional chef. More details on the history of the club and its principals can be found at the
Les Marmitons International web site.
The Cranford Chapter
The Cranford Chapter of Les Marmitons consists of about 50 Members who meet on the second Monday of the month from September through May. Our venue is the Kenilworth VFW Post 2230 in Kenilworth, New Jersey, which offers us a large dining and prep area, along with a professional kitchen. We develop a yearly plan to have a different Guest Chef for each of our monthly dinner meetings.
A Member volunteers to introduce a chef to the Club and work with the chef, and with the assistance of other Members, they develop an exciting 5-course menu capitalizing on the Chef's expertise –i.e. French, Italian, German, etc. When the menu has been finalized between the host and the Club, our sommeliers then become involved to select wines for each course that will complement and frame each dish. The guest chef is only there to guide us in the preparation of his recipes, and to provide instruction and demonstration on specific techniques, methods, ingredients, and plating.
The attending Members divide into teams, where each team is responsible for preparing, cooking, and serving one course. This approach allows Members of
any skill level to participate and learn. Between courses, a member from each team gives a brief summary of the dish that was just served and their experience in preparing it. That way, we all learn about the courses that we did not prepare ourselves. Our sommeliers then discuss the wine and why it was chosen for that dish. At the end of the meal, the guest chef gives a review of our performance and offers suggestions. For more details about our dinner events, please see our FAQ
here.
If you would like more information about our club, please use the "Add Me To Your Mailing List" tab on the left, and someone will contact you.