The e-culture fair created a strong context for explaining some of the reasons to develop the Instructables Restaurant. E-culture influences the lives of most people in ways that initially may not seem very electronic.  The expansion of ways of communicating, and developing and sharing information most often will emerge in relatively traditional fields and businesses. The Instructables Restaurant works pretty traditional yet it wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for e-culture, and that includes its love for transparency, its sharing attitude, its DIY mentality,  and yes, the electronic means to support it.

The deadline for ideas for Fab6 is approaching fast. One things we do know is that the opening party will be a BBQ Instructables Restaurant. Instructables.com already provides us with an interesting array of BBQ marinade possibilities but there’s always room for more  talent to show their stuff. So, if you are not yet a member of Instructables.com, but you would like culinary fame, please go to the website, scroll down, say please give me a free membership, upload your instructable, and nervously wait if your recipe is chosen to feature during Fab6 (chances are good).

Thank you!

This is a somewhat scary looking sketch of what we’ll do in Dortmund during the e-culture fair on August 23, 24 and 25. This will be the location, right amongst two ventilation shafts of the subway. As you may  notice we need  help in the definite design, so please come over and do so. The interesting thing about  the Instructables Restaurant in Dortmund is that it will be built up during opening hours.  If you need a table or chair, help yourself and make one.  If it starts to rain, or if the sun is too hot, no problem. make a Tarp Shelter. The challenge will be to not have everybody turn around immediately and walk into the nearby Hexenkessel Imbiss where they serve a prety good hamburger.

The restaurant will be a Cheesecake and Coffee place, and yes we’re also having a competition.  If you’re thinking about going, get in touch with Virtueel Platform about their cheap & easy bus arrangements.

The e-culture fair will see the premier of something we’ve been planning for a while now, a restaurant where recipes from Instructables from all over the world  will compete for the title of best cheesecake and best chocolate cake. Come down to the e-culture fair, get yourself a cup of coffee and some cakes for tasting and choose the best. Or, even better, enter your very own cheesecake or chocolate cake recipe on Instructables (remember we need to be able to make it so keep it slightly simple) and see if it will be featured in our competition. Anyone around the world can win this thing.

There exists a strong believe that in due time, with the power of of crowd-sourced know how we will be able to create the perfect cheesecake. Or the perfect anything really. In fact with this contest we hope to see  if a crowdsourced Michelin star cheesecake is achievable, starting from a few simple ibles shared on Instructables, and with the help of the tasting crowd.

Feedback please!

The e-culture fair will be held in Dortmund on August 23, 24 and 25, 2010.

Saturday, the 19th of June, on a cold and rainy night, the first outdoor Instructables Restaurant opened during Table de Nuit, part of  Nuit Blanche.  We already knew all the people involved in  the Instructables Restaurant love to create things BUT as the director of the organizing party Stichting Cultuur aan het IJ,  Chris Keulemans, formulated it; ” Despite the weather we managed to create a summer evening”.  The food (recipes courtesy of the members of instructables) prepared by Pim Smulders and his team, was delicious. The furniture (courtesy the members of instructables) was colorful, simple and functional. People started to redesign the interior the moment they stepped into the restaurant creating extra tables and seats where needed. Left-over pieces from the first restaurant were scattered around the fireplace for those who needed a little warmth on a cold night. On top of all that the organizers of Table de Nuit put together a great musical program featuring, among others, Supercity and Naald en Kraak.

Ah, an evening well worth all the hard work. Thanks everybody.

Some nice new recipes and pieces of furniture will be featured in this restaurant. Check’ em out!

A Cute Little Crate Stool by Missy Makelot

Peanut Butter Soup & Fufu by Jetty

Surinam Cod Sandwich & Zuur by Safierra

Hot Spiced Wine by CrLz

Delicious Paella by oscarthompson

IKEA Tablescape by Arne Hendriks

and last but not least the seasonal treat Elderflower Tempura by devalk