About this Event
The Prequel: A Life Told Through Food
An intimate 5-course dinner by Chef Marcus Daniel from Bridgeport
Hosted by our friends and neighbors Spoke + Ivy
December 7th | 5:00 PM | 1402 W Main, Fort Wayne, IN
Overview
The Prequel is a one-night dinner experience where Chef Marcus Daniel tells his life story the only way he knows how – through food.
Across five courses, each dish represents a different part of his life. The flavors, the memories, the struggle, the joy – every plate is a chapter. The dinner ends with a deeply personal tribute.
More than dinner – it's a story.
Course 1 – Six Bean Casserole
Heirloom beans • toasted sourdough • Rowdy Rooster N’duja
The dish that started everything. Marcus’s elevated take on the pot of six beans his Mom stretched with heart, love, and whatever the week allowed. Growing up, it was the meal that “got us past Wednesday.” This version honors that memory with heirloom beans and a hit of local Rowdy Rooster N’duja for depth and heat.
Course 2 – Cabbage Rolls
Local ground pork • dried stone fruit • pistachio • full-of-butter potato
A tribute to the flavors Marcus grew up absorbing from every culture around him: Italian neighbors, Polish friends, Mexican family, and a Pakistani uncle. His mom learned dishes from the people in her orbit, including these cabbage rolls she picked up from her friend Sue. Made with local pork (from the herd Chef Marcus sourced himself, including the one that got away), dried fruit, pistachio, and a buttery potato filling.
Course 3 – Peanut Butter & Jelly Halibut
Thai peanut sauce • fish ravioli • Pinot Noir reduction
A revival of one of Marcus’s first big culinary career risks – the Peanut Butter & Jelly Halibut he created when he was early in his chef career and fearlessly experimental. Built around Thai peanut sauce, a fish-stuffed ravioli, and a Pinot Noir reduction, it’s a dish born from pure creative freedom, now reimagined with maturity and skill.
Course 4 – Braised Shortrib (Family-Style)
Wood Farms short rib • fried rice • banchan
Rooted in family, community, and the kitchens that feel like home. Slow-braised Wood Farms short rib, served family-style with fried rice and banchan – a plate that bridges cultures, memories, and the idea that food tastes better when it’s shared. This course represents maturity, identity, and the years when Marcus fully became the chef he is today.
Course 5 – Carrot Cake
A quiet moment. A favorite dessert. A course with meaning that will speak for itself on the night of 12/7.
The Setting
This dinner will take place inside Spoke + Ivy, Bridgeport’s neighboring restaurant and close friends of the team. The space is warm, intimate, and perfect for a storytelling-forward meal where the kitchen and the dining room feel connected.
What to Expect
- A 5-course tasting menu crafted exclusively for this event
- Storytelling between courses by Chef Marcus Daniel
- A raw, soulful, cinematic dining experience
- Limited seating designed for connection, not crowding
- A night that blends memory, food, and emotion
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Spoke + Ivy, 1402 West Main Street, Fort Wayne, United States
USD 115.00 to USD 125.00
