The Food Trust, meanwhile, had been talking to Quest Loves Food, the catering company owned by Philadelphia native and Roots drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson.
Iskolsky said the Food Trust asked the company — whose stock in trade is Creole-seasoned, Lancaster County-sourced fried chicken, which was ranked 15th on Bon Appétit magazine's list of the "25 Things to Eat, Drink and Cook in 2012" — to run the VIP operation at the next Night Market, at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue, from 6 to 10 p.m. next Thursday.
The Quest Loves Food Pop-Up at Night Market will be a ticketed event within Night Market.
"This will be an immersive experience with food and music," said Alexis Rosenzweig, who runs Quest Loves Food. She is working with interior designers to create a "fully designed Asian-inspired speakeasy," where for $55, a Night Market attendee can sample drinks created by mixologists from the Walnut Street bar-restaurant Farmers' Cabinet (based on liquors from Philadelphia Distilling), drink Yards Brewing's beer, and listen to a four-hour playlist curated by ?uestlove.
Rosenzweig said Love's Drumsticks would be served, as would a new product called ?uestfucious cupcakes, which are cupcakes topped with a fortune cookie, and black-and-white salt-and-pepper popcorn.
Both Rosenzweig and Iskolsky said it was too soon to tell if Quest Loves Food will be part of the August Night Market, set for Aug. 16 in Mount Airy.
Besides the $55 VIP ticket, there are $75 "plus" tickets that step up the donation. Information: nightmarketphilly.org.
Contact Michael Klein at mklein@philly.com.
