Round 3 of the #StayInBake 🧑‍🍳

How it’s been 3 months since our last #StayinBake is beyond all of us. It’s been a crazy few months for every human, team WalkUp included. We’ve started working with Nando’s which was a massive badge of honour for us, we’ve continued to work with smaller, independent restaurants such as Bindas, Over Under, Roti King and we’ve added more branches of awesome restaurants we already worked with, including Farm Girl and Cay Tre.

We’re now also managing the queue for a lot of retailers, including Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Ralph Lauren, Lulu Lemon, Coach, Christian Dior, Mulberry and more! More on this in our next blog post 🤩

With so much going on, we’d be lying if we said we haven’t felt the strain at times. We’re still a team of 7 and this is something we should have progressed by this point. We’re still plowing on and adding more rocket fuel everyday to our mission to enable diners to get a table anywhere, anytime, so growing our team is absolutely essential to help get us there.

Because of the growing work and government restrictions on socialising, we’ll put our hands up and say we’ve not been as good at planning, organising and committing to our socials as we should have been. So take this as our written notice of accountability that we’re putting our best foot forward in committing to all of our socials.

So without further ado… Let’s jump into our most recent social on October 21st. #StayinBake theme of: FIRE 🔥

The rules: every WalkUp picks a WalkUp restaurant (obvs) and has to recreate a dish inline with the theme. We congregate around Zoom at 6:30pm, all ingredients, spices and packaged items bought for the ready, set COOK! Dishes must be presentable by the 8pm call and then judged. Previously it’s been an awesome element to get a chef or restauranteur from one of our amazing restaurants, but this time we asked our trusty Back End Dev, Noah (or Obi Wan Kenobi) to be ‘The Judge’.

After a healthy amount of stress, ego, tears (induced by onions) and panic, all WalkUps delivered on a FIRE dish.

The results: WalkUp Bake Judging, by Obi-Wan Kenobi

Molly's Flame grilled chicken - Nando’s

Dish: Chicken looks well-marinaded and packed with flavour. Roasting broccoli is an interesting alternative to the typical boiling which keeps more of the nutrients in. Spicy peas look great, curious about how hot those were! Presentation: well presented with the peas & broccoli kept in a separate dish. Theme: Spicy food meets the "flame" theme pretty well 🌶 Overall: 7/10

Amos' Carolina Reaper - Honest Burger

Dish: Burgers are one of my favourite dish's with plenty of opportunity to mix flavours. Definitely seems like this opportunity was not wasted here with a variety of additions to this burger keeping it interesting, I can at least see some bacon. Served on a brioche bun (as all burgers should be)! Presentation: Little bit sloppy! Although, I'll give some credit, it's hard to keep burgers looking neat. Plate is a little spacious without any sides (wheres the fries or veg!?) Theme: Carolina reaper hot sauce definitely blows the roof of your mouth off! Overall: 7/10

Maggy's Roti Canai with chicken curry - Roti King

🥇 Our winner! 🥇

Dish: The dish I was most excited to see, and it looks like you've come through. The curry looks incredible with a deep red colour and the chicken pieces look tasty. The Roti Canai look great, not over or under done, perfect for dipping in the curry 👀 Presentation: Holy frick, something about this looks fab! Simple but effective presentation. I think my only minor point would be cleaning up the side of the bowl. Theme: Assuming the curry was spicy, I'll accept this one! Overall: 10/10

Charlie's Pizza - 50 Kalo

Dish: Pizzas, like burgers, are a great opportunity to let other flavours & ingredients shine. Charlie is definitely a man after my own heart going for a Pizza that feels like licking a himalayan salt lamp. Olives, anchovies and capers are a great combination that's been added to the classic tomato base and topped with basil & mozeralla. Presentation: Served directly on the pizza stones for a rustic feel. Pizzas are nicely shaped and the red wine decanted into the carafe catches my attention 🍷 Theme: Can't tell if the candles are part of a weird cultish ceremony, either way, they are pretty lit 🔥 Overall: 8/10

Frazer's pulled pork cheese burger - Smokestak

Dish: Wow, not only a great looking burger served in a lovely crisp roll but some exciting sides too. Pulled pork works great with lovely chunky & fresh bits of tomato. Can't see much cheese though 😢 . This does seem to have been recovered with the side dishes with the lovely stuffed peppers & melty jacket potato. Presentation: Served on a wooden chopping board for that hipster aesthetic and with two whole (possibly wooden) chilli's (wondering if you ate those?!), looks good. Theme: An assortment of Chilli's in a vague attempt to keep within the theme 😂 Overall: 8/10

Archie's Quesadilla - El Pastor

Dish: The crunch of the tortilla contrasts great with the cheese & chicken, a classic Mexican dish! It appears to have been pretty well executed and I would've loved to have had a chance to bite into one of these. Appropriate sauces provided (can't tell if these were made or store bought :( )! Presentation: It's all on the plate! Perhaps some attention needed here next time to clinch those extra points. Theme: Not quite sure what the flame link is here, perhaps the salsa :) Overall: 6/10