About four years ago, Syd Suntha (who now runs the popular Sri Lankan food cart Kottu) was jotting down ideas for different food events, when he came up with the idea of ​​hosting a Wu-themed dinner party. Tang. “I’ve loved them since I was a kid, and I think they’re one of those bands that resonates with every person,” Suntha says.

At first, it was just going to be a five-course event with just him cooking. But then he thought, “There are nine members in the Wu-Tang Clan. Why not have nine chefs at the event? And since number 36 is featured in the group’s debut album, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)”, Suntha decided to serve 36 dishes instead of five.

The event was postponed twice during the pandemic, but is now scheduled for September or October this year. Suntha is also a finalist for a $10,000 prize from Eventbrite (in a contest that can be voted on once a day until June 29), although he will host the event whether he wins or not. “If I win, it will be a version where we will bring in special guests and have a little more money to play,” Suntha said. “And if I don’t win, it’s still going to be awesome.”

Eighteen of the meal’s “dishes” will be food, nine will be drinks, and nine will be experiences like performances by rappers, MCs, and musicians.

Suntha says the nine leaders have yet to be chosen and he will announce them over the next few months. But he hinted he was talking to locals Excellent chef alums, among other big names in the Seattle food world. Dave Storm of Snoqualmie BBQ Restaurant Buckshot honey has already pledged to contribute a few dishes.

Dishes Suntha has already put together for the event include Ooh Baby, I Like it Raw, a dish inspired by the lyrics of the song “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”, with local albacore, beets, roasted chili peppers and amaranth . One Blood Under W, based on a song of the same name, is a dish with blood sausage on brioche.

Drinks will be hosted by Friendly Gomez, a local mixologist who has done several pop culture pop-ups in the past and served Wu-Tang-themed cocktails at afterparties for Wu-Tang shows. (Suntha also recently launched a very successful mayhem pop-up based on the TV show I think you should go with Tim Robinson.) Gomez’s drinks include the Ghost-Trace Killah (a play on the name of Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah) made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, maple, lemon, mint, and egg white , and Old Dirty Plastered (an ode to Wu-Tang member Ol’ Dirty Bastard), a lager with a mini martini. Suntha does not drink alcohol and Gomez will also serve non-alcoholic versions of many drinks.

Experiences will include a Seattle Escape Games Wu-Tang themed escape room that will reveal the evening’s menu, live painting by local artist Rich Hall, and a cellist named Jillian Walker, who will play songs by Wu-Tang to be associated with certain cooking classes. Rappers and MCs have yet to be announced.

The budget for the event is around $60,000, which will increase to $70,000 if Suntha wins the event. Tickets will cost around $333 each way, so if you want him to have more money to play with, vote in the Eventbrite contest every day to make sure he gets that extra $10,000.

Follow Syd Suntha on Instagram to stay informed of the event.