Much to her own surprise - Samsom became an acclaimed culinary artist and style icon with decades of experience in New York’s downtown creative scene - also known as ‘The Dumpling Diva’ and using food as fodder, for delicious or hilarious story telling. Originality and wit helped transform her events into fun adventures, guests often couldn’t stop reminiscing about.
Miss Samsom is currently co-laborating with a ghostwriter - on a book filled with stories, snapshots and hopefully some of those delicious recipes- says Madame Hulot.
1985 The Kitchen Club began as ‘underground' word-of-mouth salon in the E.Village with a prix fixe menu on the answering machine - then in 1990 moved ‘above ground’ to the corner of Prince/Mott street and there became a legendary eatery.
The Kitchen Club & Chibis Bar attracted a local and international clientele serving European cuisine with Japanese twists - cooking with organic vegetables supplied by Lisa & Mark- Mountain Dell Farm .
More than a restaurant -The Kitchen Club was also a nightly salon and creative anchor for the independent art & music scene - with a historical intersection that is permanently recorded in the official credits of High Art- Lisa Cholodenko’s 1998 feature film .
Sunday nite’s live music- in Chibis Bar - performed by Nicole Renaud or Rachelle Garniez .
The menu included a superior selection of savory or delicious dessert dumplings - a big hit when the restaurant started offering sunday afternoon classes - ‘Dumplings as Storytelling’.
After its 20th anniversary celebration in 2010, the Dumpling Diva opened her golden cage and flew out singing, in pursuit of new adventures …
