Page 40 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2020

Food, Booze
When Michael and Stephanie Paoletti
founded their business 18 months ago, they never dreamed its concept would thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
safe & sound
#VisitMSResponsibly
&Hiccups story by Susan Ruddiman
photos courtesy of Michael and Stephanie Paoletti
The owners of Food, Booze & Hiccups make use of a small
lot they own at the corner of Government Street and Handy
Avenue in downtown Ocean Springs to o er Dinner on the Lot. On
weeknights and weekends they serve dinners for six to 20 registered guests who sit at picnic tables and enjoy food cooked over an open fire. The couple prepares meals with local produce and seafood as well as more exotic fare.
Before the pandemic, the Paolettis
had taught classes in the kitchen at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, so they already had a following of adults as well as children. Plus they cater events for businesses and prepared pre-made meals.
“Once the pandemic hit, we had to rethink the process. People didn’t want to sit around other people they didn’t know,” Michael said. “Instead, we dropped o meals to families and food to front line workers at the hospitals.”
They o ered virtual cooking classes. The ingredient kits would be delivered
to the registered students, and then they would teach the classes
online. They conducted a week long virtual summer cooking
camp with around 15 children participating.
As the area businesses started to reopen, the
Paolettis were asked to host a Dinner on
the Lot for 20 close friends who were
going stir crazy at home. From
couple’s outdoor dining concept they created months earlier has really taken o .
Stephanie said they used to serve on pottery dishes, but now they’ve gone to disposable bamboo ware and utensils. Guests must BYOB, and if water is served, it’s bottled.
Guests are comfortable with watching their meal be cooked on a grill over a fire pit or on the griddle of a propane stove. While most of the registered guests know each other, when the Paolettis host the beer pairing nights with Craft Advisory, guests are seated at various tables in smaller groups.
“Everyone sees what we are doing, it’s not hidden, so it fits in a comfort zone, especially with being outside,” Stephanie said.
40 | November 2020
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