Culinary Adventures with Founder’s Foodies

The Founder’s Foodies is a group of like-minded “foodies” who gather at the Founders Pointe Residents’ Club to experience culinary adventures, sample regional cuisine, share favorite foods and drinks, while also delving into the science of cooking.   Recently we interviewed one of the founders of this group, Chrissy Erpelding, to see how the Foodies got started and what they’re all about:

What inspired or got this group started?

While my husband and I were living in Little Rock, AR our neighborhood had their very own magazine, Life in Chenal Valley; the magazine had a readership of over 18,000.  My husband and I co-authored a monthly food column for Life in Chenal Valley, and after that, we knew that we wanted to continue sharing our passion.  We started Founder’s Foodies to do just that in January 2015.

How often do they meet?  Where do they meet?

Meeting time varies depending on the time of year. I have found that summer and the holiday season are too busy to meet monthly. Fall and winter works best for everyone’s schedule. We generally meet at the clubhouse, but there have been a few times when it has been booked and we have held events at our house.

What kind of activities do the Founder’s Foodies promote and enjoy?

In the past, we have done themes such as This Day In History, Back to the 50’s and 60’s, Mad Men & TV Dinner Night, Kentucky Derby celebration, October Biergarten, One Elegant Bite, Wine and Whisky.  We have also had a local sommelier come out to educate the group through private wine tasting classes. (See attached pictures of The Kentucky Derby group, bourbon tasting, and a picture from one of our wine tastings, pictured as Ian, a sommelier, leads the discussion).

How does someone join the group?

If you would like to join please email mcerpelding@gmail.com.  We also have a Facebook page titled Founders Foodie Club.

Is there anything else folks might find interesting about the Founders Foodies?

Yes, you don’t have to be a culinary expert to be in our group. It is all about learning from each other, conversations and fellowship, and meeting new people.  We think this is the best way for a community to come together over food and wine.  My husband and I have traveled all over dining at restaurants from famed chefs, but many times it’s the home cook that is just as inspiring and introduces you to a dish with flavors and ingredients you didn’t even know existed. That’s what I love most about our group is that we are constantly evolving and learning from each other.

Finally, leave us with your final thoughts about The Foodies:

The perfect quotation from James Beard sums it all up: “When you cook, you never stop learning. That is the fascination of it all.”