Dear Test Kitchen

I need to tell you why I am irked at you. Why we are upset at your condescension, your smugness at somehow...but not really...having the "corner market" regarding the good food of Kansas City.

We signed up, one of us new to Kansas and the Midwest, thinking a Test Kitchen would be exclusive, but not pretentious. We believed we'd be able to meet people who cared about cuisine. We instead learned that the Test Kitchen is available to whoever signs up; that the current email list is over 400 people. If you have Internet access, readily available cash, and believe that the Food Network is special, you too could be a part of a status symbol.

There is nothing Underground about this Supper Club. The Tastebud magazine let us know that.

We believed, somehow, that those in the trenches were involved, not those who seek to make a buck being trendy and available and...here it is again: exclusive.
At the outset, we knew the "selected" for each (on average) monthly event is 20 people. We did not know our chances would be less than 5%. This would've been good to know. A disclosure at the outset, shall we say.

When rejected, we did not wish to get the following rhyme:

"Although today was not your day,
and we had to give your seat away,
rest assured in just 30 days,
you'll have a new chance to come and play."

Right. Another .5% chance. For a menu that may or may not be disclosed. To those who may or may not give a damn.

The sad thing is, I will probably put my name in the lottery again. I'm curious about others who take the time and pay the money to spend time with a chef who produces great food. It is sad that such an event must be a gamble.