UMass Boston

Culinary Adventures

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Culinary Adventures is an OLLI Shared Interest Group (SIG) for those who share a mutual interest or curiosity about food and things culinary.

History
Culinary Adventures began with 20 OLLI members who formed a Food Group in fall 2009. Their goal was to learn something new about food while having a good time. Now there are 156 members, the name has changed to Culinary Adventures, and there have been more than 50 culinary-related events,     

Group Planning and Coordination
The SIG has a four-person steering committee. Each month a different member of the committee takes responsibility for planning and coordinating an adventure on a particular culinary-related topic.

Typical Activities
There's a mixture of monthly visits to ethnic restaurants, culinary-related talks, museum exhibits, tours, demonstrations, wine tastings, food banks, and classes. Here’s a venue sample:

  • Cathay Pacific (Quincy) - Asian eatery turning out Cantonese & Polynesian specialties & cocktails
  • Scobie's Cafe & Bar (Dorchester) - Airy, casual, cozy, and vibrant spot offering a menu of classic Irish fare
  • Blasi's (Dorchester) - Laid-back cafe featuring Italian standards
  • Byblos Restaurant (Norwood) - Lebanese restaurant serving high-quality Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food
  • Chateau de Bleu (Canton) - Restaurant run by students from the Blue Hills Regional Tech School
  • McGonagle's Irish Pub (Dorchester) - Relaxed, modern pub specializing in Irish comfort food
  • Evviva Trattoria (Quincy) - Features modern Italian food served in a comfortable and casual atmosphere

Membership and Attendance
Announcements of Culinary Adventures events come out monthly from the OLLI office. While the member list is large, 20-30 members typically attend each event. The week of the month and day vary, and events generally last about 2 ½ hours. Public transportation is almost always available. If not, car-pooling is arranged.

To learn more: Contact one of the members of the Steering Committee. They will be happy to talk with you.

To join us: Contact the OLLI office at 617.287.7312 or at ollireg@gmail.com.

Shared Interest Groups List

Each group is different depending on its focus, and all provide interesting lifelong learning opportunities as well as fun social experiences. Read more about our Shared Interest Groups.