Voyager Plans Gatto Nero Pop-Up Dinner

Voyager Wine & Cocktail Bar will collaborate with local chefs to host a pop-up dinner on Sunday, Oct. 30.

The event, Gatto Nero, is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Voyager, 422 E. Lincoln Ave., in Bay View.

Katie Gabert and Samantha Sandrin, the chefs behind the modern Italian concept Strega, along with chef Alexis Burgos, will present an eight-course dinner featuring experimental Italian and authentic Argentinian cuisine, along with a hint of mischief and mystery — in line with the spirit of the season. Jordan Burich, owner of Voyager, will provide wine pairings.

The dinner will be an “immersive experience,” said Gabert in an interview, adding that the eight base courses will be supplemented by a variety of small bites, in-betweens and palate cleansers.

Gatto Nero, Italian for black cat, falls on Devil’s Night, historically an evening full of trickery and pranks preceding All Hallows Eve on Oct. 31. Gabert and Sandrin are leaning into the sinister air of the evening, with plans to include “some really fun, weird, spooky, seasonal things,” according to Sandrin.

“I don’t want to give too much away, but things like putting organs in dishes from various animals and using natural ingredients to make things very different colors. So like some really dark hues and blacks and reds. I’m kind of going into that romantic kind of style,” she added.

Rather than melding Italian and Argentinian flavors, Gabert said that the chefs are letting each cuisine stand on its own in alternating dishes throughout the meal.

For example, Gabert explained, “a really powerful Argentinian dish,” such as steak and chimichurri, might be followed by an Italian squid ink pasta with an octopus and tomato broth.

Strega previously operated a hawker stall at 3rd Street Market Hall, offering modern Italian dishes and sweets. Gabert and Sandrin left the food hall in August and are now running the operation as a pop-up.

Burgos, an Argentinian-born chef, has worked in various roles in the culinary industry for nearly 15 years. Most recently, he was an executive chef for Sodexo and currently works as executive chef for TouchPoint Support Services.

Tickets for the dinner are $200 each and are available for purchase online. Seating is limited.

Gabert and Sandrin acknowledged the ticket price, reiterating that the dinner is a fully immersive experience, that includes a curated ambiance, wine pairings, music, decor and other elements in addition to the food.

“Every course comes with total intention,” Gabert said. “And there’s going to be a lot of different treats and different surprises in between.”

“We don’t think food should be super expensive,” Gabert added. “I think that’s one thing that I would really like people to know about this. We are chefs, but this is more than just an experience of like a dinner, there’s more involved.”

Sandrin and Gabert said they plan to participate in future pop-ups that will be accessible for different price points. Updates and information about future events will be posted to the Strega Instagram page, though Gabert noted the business may soon operate under a different name.