The Wednesday Night Cooking Club

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it!"

Yogi Berra

Travel is amazing in the ways that it can open you up to new experiences, new people, and new ideas. And my most recent trip proved that beyond any doubt!

About three weeks ago I was in France and Switzerland visiting some watch brands and taking in FC Biel / Bienne's game -

No, I was not a new signing!

I then traveled on to Besançon, France to check out the Lip HQ and get reacquainted with one of my favorite places -

More on that in posts to come ; ) 

After planes, trains, and automobiles I was back in Biel / Bienne -

It was my last day before heading home, and I texted my friend Rod to see if he was near the station, and he said he could be at the cafe by the station in about 30 minutes, I said no problem, I could hang out. But then he texted back and suggested I could come to his "cooking club", which was about a 10 minute walk away. I said sure - imagining I would be walking to some adult education center with a bunch of guys and gals wearing white aprons working on perfecting their schnitzel recipes. 

After a few wrong turns, I found myself in front of what appeared to be some sort of apartment building with a storefront on the ground level. 

My phone rang - 

"Are you here?"

To which I said -

"I think so..." 

trying the door, it was locked.

"Come around through the alley..."

So I walked through the alley, took a right...

And there in what was the parking lot, was a fairly upscale backyard dining set-up with barbecue grill.

I was offered a glass of wine, invited to sit down, and thought to myself that this will be a nice place to hang out until Rod and I head to dinner. 

I was told to put my bags inside. I walked through the door, and had my second surprise -

Essentially, it was an industrial kitchen, kitted out with professional grade stoves, ovens, refrigerators - you name it.

I then took a left hand turn into what turned out to be...

A dining area that could accommodate at least 16 people.

And now I was really confused, and also intrigued. So I went back to the kitchen and asked Philippe if he could tell me more about this...

And in our next episode, I will fill you in on what was, pretty much without any doubt, one of the most fun, unexpected, and fantastic nights that I've ever had in Switzerland (and pretty much anywhere else for that matter)!