2022 East Coast Gathering (ECG) - Sunday, July 24, Washington, DC Area

[WildBoar]

It's that time again! For those new to KKF, this is an annual gathering of old and new KKF friends/ acquaintances, and there are lots of sharp implements to ogle and caress. Group effort on food and drinks, so we all eat and drink well.

At my house in Alexandria (northern Virginia) again this year.

The event is indoor, so no problems with weather. Gas and charcoal grills outside, and ovens/ stove inside for those who want to cook or reheat food here.

We are spouse-friendly, so feel free to bring yours out. My wife and 9-year-old son should be around this year.

I have contact info for most past attendees. If you have not been here before and would like to attend please PM me your name and an email address and I will send you out additional information prior to the event (including the address).

And if there is interest we can pull together a dinner the night before (we had a group at Zaytinya last year).

Please note that due to the indoor nature of this event attendees must be fully vaccinated.

If you have any questions please ask away!

 

[WildBoar]

B U M P

We are off to a great start. There are already 10 people who have said they should be able to make the event.

 

[tylerleach]

Can’t believe I’m just now seeing the post! Really hope I get to meet all you guys

 

[WildBoar]

Can’t believe I’m just now seeing the post! Really hope I get to meet all you guys

You want to come up for it? You and Kosta can carpool

 

[Luftmensch]

Generous and amazing effort from @WildBoar. Very community minded

I always enjoying seeing photos of the aftermath, on the other side of the globe!

 

[WildBoar]

Random bump. Less than 2 months away!

Lots of 'old timers' should be coming, as well as some new faces.

 

[WildBoar]

Only 23 days until the 2022 East Coast Gathering!

Knives, stones, food, drinks, two knifemakers, KKF peeps (old and new), and some other people who know nothing about KKF and are in for an experience

Besides the DC and Baltimore areas, Charlottesville, Richmond, Philadelphia and NJ should be represented. It's hard to get guarantees from DC-area chefs, but there should be a couple/ few in attendance.

Send me a DM if you want info.

 

[tylerleach]

Can’t wait, brother

 

[WildBoar]

Had a flurry of interest over the last 2 days. Several more knifemakers and a handful of DC-area chefs.

 

[Se1ryu]

I wish I can be there .

 

[Bill13]

I will be there unless either of my two parents do something silly, which they have been doing with gusto the last year or so. I will bring chairs, tables, hummus, and hopefully some smoked pork ribs.

 

[WildBoar]

I will be there unless either of my two parents do something silly, which they have been doing with gusto the last year or so. I will bring chairs, tables, hummus, and hopefully some smoked pork ribs.

 

[larrybard]

I will be there unless either of my two parents do something silly, which they have been doing with gusto the last year or so. I will bring chairs, tables, hummus, and hopefully some smoked pork ribs.

Oh, yes, yes, YES, please bring some of that incredible hummus. Please, please, PLEASE!!! I would make the trip just for that.

 

[WildBoar]

Man, you start 4 months out and it takes forever to get here. But then one day you realize "Damn, it's in less than 2 weeks!"

13 days until the ECG! DM me if you want to attend and have not already reached out.

 

[larrybard]

I am still planning to attend -- making it a day trip -- and will gladly provide transportation for anyone who wishes a lift from the Philadelphia area, and can conveniently meet at my house (in the West Mount Airy section). They should just contact me in advance so we can coordinate. Should be room for about 4 passengers (with one of the available "spaces" already tentatively reserved). I may bring my cheesecake (in addition to some knives, of course), but if something else is preferred (e.g., beverages) just let me know.

 

[WildBoar]

Larry, whichever you want to do. Just give me a heads-up so I can make sure everything is covered.

 

[larrybard]

I'm going to plan on baking a large cheesecake -- I think I've previously done so for at least one of the past ECGs -- but if you decide that you would instead prefer a few cases of beverages, etc., let me know, even the day before.

 

[WildBoar]

Only a week until the ECG!

We have confirmation the owner of Chacho will be here this year, thanks to the efforts of @MikeO. So there should be a nice cocktail again this year using their pepper-infused liquor. There is a tie between ECGs and pepper-infused liquor; a few years ago we enjoyed our own @sachem allison 's Native Heat liquor, and last year we had some out for comparison with Chacho's products.

We also are expecting a master butcher who has spent the last few years traveling around the globe consulting with some of the top butcher shops in the world (he's a friend of @kostantinos , who unfortunately cannot attend this year) . And hopefully a butcher at one of the top shops in the area will be here as well (he is not a forum member).

Confirmed knifemakers are Butch Harner, Henry Hyde, Jovian Knives and Steeleworks. Two more are still undecided.

We should have some DC-area chefs/ cooks who are not on the forums, as well as an owner or two.

Oh, and there will be knives!

And stones!

 

[tylerleach]

Only a week until the ECG!

We have confirmation the owner of Chacho will be here this year, thanks to the efforts of @MikeO. So there should be a nice cocktail again this year using their pepper-infused liquor. There is a tie between ECGs and pepper-infused liquor; a few years ago we enjoyed our own @sachem allison 's Native Heat liquor, and last year we had some out for comparison with Chacho's products.

We also are expecting a master butcher who has spent the last few years traveling around the globe consulting with some of the top butcher shops in the world (he's a friend of @kostantinos , who unfortunately cannot attend this year) . And hopefully a butcher at one of the top shops in the area will be here as well (he is not a forum member).

Confirmed knifemakers are Butch Harner, Henry Hyde, Jovian Knives and Steeleworks. Two more are still undecided.

We should have some DC-area chefs/ cooks who are not on the forums, as well as an owner or two.

Oh, and there will be knives!

And stones!

SO PUMPED!

 

[WildBoar]

Tyler, looks like you'll win the coveted 'longest distance traveled' award this year. You will be immortalized along with Stefan (RIP :-( ) and Jon Broida. Delbert Ealy drove down from Wisconsin one year when the even was in PA, but I believe Jon flew in that year and took first place.

Forecast for Sunday is says 100 degF. Add a dose of DC humidity to it, and heat index will top 105. It's nice to be indoors!

On a side note, only 4 more days until the ECG!

 

[tylerleach]

Tyler, looks like you'll win the coveted 'longest distance traveled' award this year. You will be immortalized along with Stefan (RIP :-( ) and Jon Broida. Delbert Ealy drove down from Wisconsin one year when the even was in PA, but I believe Jon flew in that year and took first place.

Forecast for Sunday is says 100 degF. Add a dose of DC humidity to it, and heat index will top 105. It's nice to be indoors!

On a side note, only 4 more days until the ECG!

Yay!! I’m so honored! And yes, it’s 10pm here in Nashville right now and it’s 99 degrees outside
I’m so excited for Sunday! Depending on when I get in Saturday I may try to meet up with y’all if you are doing dinner or something

 

[WildBoar]

Looks like we may go to a pizza/ brewery place just a couple miles up the road from my house on Saturday evening.

Happy to say we will have 6 makers here on Sunday: Butch Harner, Henry Hyde, Tony Laseur, Steeleworks, Jovian Forge and Ben Zimmerman. Several are new to me. All are fairly local; Butch is the furthest one from the DC area.

Also, I found a local sharpener yesterday who has a large collection of japanese knives; I think he will fit in very well with the other attendees.

 

[Edge]

I hope you will have photos of some of this gathering. Sounds like a great time can be had by all that attends.

 

[Hockey3081]

Happy to say we will have 6 makers here on Sunday: Butch Harner, Henry Hyde, Tony Laseur, Steeleworks, Jovian Forge and Ben Zimmerman. Several are new to me. All are fairly local; Butch is the furthest one from the DC area.

Steeleworks work is fantastic. Hopefully those attending will enjoy his knives as much as I do.

 

[WildBoar]

I hope you will have photos of some of this gathering. Sounds like a great time can be had by all that attends.

I've been admittedly bad abut taking photos the last couple ECGs. I usually make up an IG designation and ask people who take pictures to post them there (but not many do/ have).

The ratio of KKF members to non-KKFers this year will likely be around 1:2. Hopefully some will be encouraged to come check out the forums. I haven't had much success with that at the last couple of events. I still have some KKF business cards, which I always put out on the counter.

 

[larrybard]

Last call for reservations on the ECG Philadelphia Shuttle! If anyone in the Philadelphia area wants a lift from me -- I'm in the West Mount Airy area -- please contact me. I plan to leave Philadelphia mid-morning, in order to arrive at around noon.

 

[musicman980]

The main highlight from yesterday

 

[WildBoar]

haha, Nick really seemed to have found his happy place yesterday. Thanks to all the KKFers who were here for welcoming all the new people.

 

[stringer]

Thanks David. Really great time. Nice to see everyone.

 

[WildBoar]

Thanks David. Really great time. Nice to see everyone.

Thanks for making the trip up from Richmond.

You and the Pennsylvania and Baltimore people really help make it an ECG. DC-area people are hard to corral; there were close to 10 local people who were no-shows yesterday. Having you guys, plus the crew that drove up from Charlottesville and especially Tyler (Nashville's in the house!) make the event sure a fun and eye-popping experience. The hardware on display takes leaps forward every year. My jaw was pretty much dragging on the floor as I walked around looking at the collections on display.

And it is so great to see so many new makers represented in the collections (jul3stools IG reels show a bunch of really nice ones), and having 6 makers in attendance.

The kitchen knife world has been growing by leaps and bounds. Years ago I worried about how full-time makers could survive. But demand seems to have skyrocketed and the makers all seem to be busier than ever. And it was nice having Butch in attendance again, as he had to miss it last year for the first time in a long time.