Events & some other goods

(pre-order) HOT SOUP & BAD LARRY'S T-Shirt Reissue

(pre-order) HOT SOUP & BAD LARRY'S T-Shirt Reissue
$40.00

DINNER PARTY 001 [early access]

DINNER PARTY 001 [early access]
$75.00

DINNER PARTY 002 [early access]

DINNER PARTY 002 [early access]
$75.00

DINNER PARTY 003 [early access]

DINNER PARTY 003 [early access]
$75.00

DINNER PARTY 004 [early access]

DINNER PARTY 004 [early access]
$85.00

EH Store Tee

EH Store Tee
$50.00

FAMILY MEAL 005 [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 005 [early access]
$85.00

FAMILY MEAL 006 [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 006 [early access]
$90.00

FAMILY MEAL 007 w/ One Love Community Fridge [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 007 w/ One Love Community Fridge [early access]
$100.00

FAMILY MEAL 008 w/ Furnace Creek Farm [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 008 w/ Furnace Creek Farm [early access]
$75.00

FAMILY MEAL 009 W/ Amoon Farm [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 009 W/ Amoon Farm [early access]
$90.00

FAMILY MEAL 010 [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 010 [early access]
$100.00

FAMILY MEAL 011 [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 011 [early access]
$100.00

FAMILY MEAL 012 [early access]

FAMILY MEAL 012 [early access]
$100.00

HOT SOUP HAT "borscht"

HOT SOUP HAT "borscht"
$35.00

HOT SOUP PARTY @ LAOBRA [MARCH 9]

HOT SOUP PARTY @ LAOBRA [MARCH 9]
$65.00

HOT SOUP PARTY @ THE HANCOCK [12.29]

HOT SOUP PARTY @ THE HANCOCK [12.29]
$0.00

Serving Some Soup [October 29 Pre-Order]

Serving Some Soup [October 29 Pre-Order]
$15.00

Serving Some Soup [Pre-Order For Nov 12]

Serving Some Soup [Pre-Order For Nov 12]
$10.00

Serving Some Soup [Pre-Order For Nov 5]

Serving Some Soup [Pre-Order For Nov 5]
$16.00

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May 1 27 Proposal: Kathryn & Joey Pig Roast Wedding

Essential Herbs — Event Proposal   ·   Prepared for Kathryn & Joey

Kathryn + Joey's Upstate Spring Roast Wedding

May 1, 2027 — Hotel Lilien, Tannersville

Event
Wedding Reception
Date
May 1, 2027
Guest Count
120 Adults + 15 Children
Service Style
Open Fire Roast + Family Style [5-hour event]

The Vision

Family. Friends. Fire. Abundance. A celebration built around generosity and the roast.

This menu centers on how the couple met: an open-fire roasted pig — the centerpiece of the meal and the symbolic heart of the celebration. Charred vegetables roasted in the fire, family-style platters designed for sharing, passed hors d'oeuvres to greet guests, and dedicated children's plates ensure every guest eats well. We'll find ways to bring in Joey's family's hospitality background and Italian fare throughout the menu. The flavor profile runs smoky, briny, rich — built for early May's seasonal ingredients sourced within 250 miles of Tannersville.

Proposed Menu

Menu Flow

Cocktail Hour (Porch) — Passed Apps + Grazing Station
  • 2 Passed Hors d'Oeuvres (2 vegetarian, 32 protein)
  • 1 Grazing Station (seasonal vegetables, cured meats, cheese selection inspired by Paris engagement favs)

Scope: Menu creation starts during our kick off call - a collaborative experience.

Timing: Guests arrive, engage in open-fire cooking in the background, and mingle on porch.

Reception — Family-Style Dinner (Inside, Long Tables)
  • Open-fire roasted whole pig with pan juices (centerpiece)
  • 1 Wood-fired fish (seasonal, local selection)
  • 1 Roasted meat option (seasonal, local selection)
  • 2 Seasonal salads and/or vegetable sides total (TBD at menu kickoff)
    • 1 Fresh Pasta + Fresh sourdough bread with custom butter

Service: Large platters set family-style on long tables. Guests help themselves, can go back for more. 15-20 minute seated time for toasts, then open grazing. Visitors can see cooking happening outside throughout dinner.

Children's Plates (Ages 2-7)
  • Menu to be determined at kickoff call
  • Three options (one meat, one veg, and one starch)

Russell will work with Kathryn & Joey to finalize children's plates based on dietary preferences and favorites during menu kickoff.

Dessert (Gluten-Free)
  • Rustic Upstate Gluten-free wedding cake + Local Fruit (almond flour base, TBD flavor & design)
  • Optional Add-On: Custom ice cream station (whimsical cones, fun toppings — pricing TBD)

All desserts gluten-free. Ice cream option would work well for the kids (daughter loves cake + ice cream). Can discuss scope & cost separately.

Essential Herbs Team

Dedicated Staffing for Seamless Execution

A 16-person professional team ensures flawless preparation, service, and execution from setup through breakdown.

Kitchen Team (6 People)

  • 1 Head Chef (Russell) — Menu direction, open-fire roasting, ingredient sourcing
  • 3 Sous Chefs — Fire management, prep coordination, quality control
  • 2 Line Cooks — Plating, vegetable prep, sauce preparation

Service Team (10 People)

  • 1 Lead Server — Service direction, guest coordination
  • 8 Servers — Table service, beverage service, guest engagement
  • 1 Kitchen Porter — Kitchen organization, supply management, cleanup

All staff are trained in family-style service, open-fire protocols, and seamless guest experience management.

Venue Notes

Hotel Lilien, Tannersville

Venue provides: all alcohol & bar setup/breakdown, glassware, chairs & tables (EH team sets for dining). Commercial kitchen available for prep. Open fire setup coordinates with venue operations. Minimum 1-month site visit required prior to event (April 1, 2027) to confirm fire pit location, kitchen access, and logistics.

Investment

Food & Service Per-Person (120 adults @ $170/person) $20,400.00
Children's Meals (15 children) On the House
Dessert Cake + Local Fruit $1,200.00
Subtotal $21,600.00
Sustainable Sourcing Fee (3%) $648.00
Admin Fee (10% on base) $2,160.00
Sales Tax (Delaware County, NY @ 8%) $1,779.84
Gratuity (15% on base) $2,160.00
Grand Total $28,347.84
25% Deposit Due Upon Booking $7,086.96

What's Included: Open-fire roasted whole pig, wood-fired seasonal fish, roasted meat option, fresh pasta, seasonal vegetable sides, fresh sourdough bread with custom butter, passed apps + grazing station (cocktail hour), family-style dinner service, dedicated children's meals (pan-roasted chicken strips, roasted vegetables, Mac & Cheese, bread), custom dessert cake + local fruit, full staffing team (1 Head Chef + 3 Sous Chefs + 2 Line Cooks + 1 Lead Server + 8 Servers + 1 Kitchen Porter + 1 Front Of House Manager), site visit, farmer's market visit, menu development (2.5 revisions + kickoff call), service through dinner, administrative coordination, and sustainable sourcing practices. 3% sustainable sourcing fee and 10% admin fee are included in this investment.

Not Included (Separate Scope TBD): Custom ice cream station (optional add-on, pricing to be confirmed), venue alcohol/bar service (handled by Hotel Lilien), after-party snacks (handled by venue). Note: Venue and clients are responsible for providing all serving platters.

Next Steps after payment and date secured

Site Visit & Logistics Planning
April 1, 2027: Russell visits Hotel Lilien to confirm open-fire location, kitchen access, power, water, plating stations, and full day-of timeline.
Menu Kickoff
90-minute call with Russell, Kathryn, and Joey to finalize dietary needs, flavor preferences, and vegetable selections. 1 farmers' market visit. 2 revisions included prior to April. 
Menu Finalization
Menu locked 2 months prior. 2 weeks before event: Russell sources all ingredients from regional farmers markets and direct relationships. Final adjustments made to menu 2 week out pending seasonality.
Staffing
1 Head Chef (Russell) · 3 Sous Chefs (fire management + prep) · 2 Line Cooks · 1 Lead Server · 8 Servers (table service + beverage) · 1 Kitchen Porter. All trained in family-style service.
Payment Terms
25% due upon booking (non-refundable) · 25% due 6 months prior to event (non-refundable) · 25% due 3 months prior to event (refundable up to 6 weeks) · 25% due 1 month prior to event (non-refundable). Payment methods: ACH or credit card (+ 4% processing fee).

About Russell Markus

Chef. Curator. Sourcing obsessive.

Russell Markus founded Essential Herbs to bring chef-led rigor to private events. Every menu is built from his understanding of what's at peak season, who grew it, and how to honor those ingredients. He approaches each event as a full production — menus are never recycled, service is never generic, and the sourcing philosophy is non-negotiable.

Russell maintains direct relationships with farmers across the Northeast. He visits farmers markets weekly, builds seasonal menus around what's abundant, and ensures every dollar spent on ingredients flows back to the people who grow them. This approach takes more time. It costs more. It's also the only way he knows how to work.

Sourcing Philosophy

Seasonal. Ethical. Direct.

All produce sourced within 250 miles of Tannersville at peak season. Chef Russell maintains direct relationships with growers, ensuring ingredients are harvested days before the event. This approach delivers three benefits: maximum freshness and flavor, environmental integrity through minimal transportation, and fair compensation that allows farmers to maintain their teams and economies.

Payment Methods

ACH / Bank Transfer
Essential Herbs will provide ACH details upon booking confirmation.
Credit Card
Pay by credit card (includes 4% processing fee). Payment link will be provided upon booking confirmation.
Russell Markus
Chef & Founder, Essential Herbs
essentialherbs.nyc
russell@essentialherbs.com
June 2026