Hotplate takes NYFW
Food and fashion - not the duo you’d expect to see gracing the runway, but this year’s New York Fashion Week was different. Together with our friends Fuzz and Fuzz, designer Hadley Tutton and her brand We Go Far, and Haagen Daz, we put on a show celebrating creativity, community, and culinary excellence.
Photos by Lyss Lester Photography
The best part of it all? We got to do this thanks to our incredible network of chefs in the area, five of whom prepared a bite that was served during the show. The table became the runway and each guest enjoyed their dessert omakase as Hadley’s “Lost in Lace” capsule collection made its fashion week debut. Read on for the full rundown on the selection of sweet treats.
Before we get into the details, you might still be asking yourself what business a software startup has at a fashion show. It’s true, we make back end tools, but here at Hotplate, we think of ourselves as more of a movement than anything else. And this event was an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the incredibly talented and creative chefs at the forefront of it.
For so long, it’s been way too hard to get up and running in the restaurant industry, let alone succeed. Starting and scaling a profitable food business? Nearly impossible.
This reality has kept some of the most creative food concepts from ever launching.
That’s why we believe in what we’re doing. We’ve created the tools and systems that make it possible for anyone to start a food business - regardless of background investment - and build their dream into something fulfilling, flexible, and sustainable. (If this sounds like your dream, you can create your account here and get set up in a few minutes.)
Hotplate chefs are pushing a culinary renaissance of new and interesting food concepts in their cities, towns, and neighborhoods across the country. Not only are they nourishing and delighting their local communities with amazing food, they are entrepreneurs inspiring a new wave of creativity. The opportunity to celebrate our emerging chefs alongside an emerging designer and have the dining table double as the runway? It was quite literally the fashion week dream we never knew we had.
Without further ado, here’s the inside scoop on the sweet treat flight and the 5 talented NY-based Hotplate chefs behind them:
Chai Shooter and Roasted Rice Tea Chocolate Chip Cookie by Orange Peel
The moment guests stepped off the elevator, they were greeted with a this luscious shot of chai from the Orange Peel team. Warm, inviting, deliciously spiced, it paired perfectly with their signature roasted rice tea chocolate chip cookie. We couldn’t get over the mini OP-branded sleeves each cookie came in!
Croquembouche by Alison Chen
Alison graciously offered to put together a centerpiece for the event. She unveiled a true work of art - a glistening cream puff tower bound by threads of caramel, studded with white candles. Watch it all come together here.
Black Sesame Raspberry Tartlet by Hali Home Bakes
So many flavors and textures were packed into this beautiful tartlet! Hali used black cocoa powder to achieve a deep color in her black sesame Pâte Sucrée tart crust, topped it with black sesame frangipane, half of a fresh raspberry, raspberry compote, topped with fresh raspberry curd, and a mirror glaze. Watch how it all came together here.
Golden Pineapple Jam Cookie by Love Cookies NYC
Katlyn 3D printed her own stamp to create the pineapple texture on top of this cookie! This is her signature bolobao-inspired cookie and the one that inspired her business. It features a butter cookie base topped with a golden crust, brushed with egg glaze, stuffed with homemade Taiwanese style pineapple cake jam filling. Watch the event from Katlyn’s POV here.
Lil Chippy by Do Good Donuts
Chocolate chip cookie dough tucked inside a mini brioche donut, rolled in sugar with a chocolate ganache drizzle. It was the fluffy-meets-doughy bite of our dreams. See Emily’s recap of the night here.
Lemon Tres Leches by Soaked Bar
Will brought minis of his signature tres leches cake in custom small square cups. Rich and creamy topped with airy whipped cream and finished with a touch of lemon zest, these struck the balance between bright lemon and sweet, moist cake. Watch Will do the final zesting here and his full recap of the night here.
What made this all even better was getting to celebrate with even more of our chefs who attended as guests. A big thank you to Erin & Maddie of Betty Jo’s, Violet Witchel, Luis of Feitos, Jordan Smith, and Mason of Piscator for being there with us and uplifting your fellow Hotplate creators.
