Currently, the Murphy children are in a safe haven. They find themselves in an elegant dining room adorned with white tablecloths and candles in glass orbs, with a mural of raptors and trumpeting parasaurolophuses serving as the backdrop. After the day's near-death dino encounter left them starving, the kids eagerly dig into the provided buffet - melons, salads, and fancy cakes. They exchange grins across the table. However, the girl's eyes widen as the shadow of another raptor becomes visible behind the mural, and this one is on the hunt. The big bite of green Jell-O on her spoon starts to wobble wildly.

Bringing "Film-to-Table Experiences"

This is the essence of Taste the Movies, a series that transports moviegoers to a unique culinary world. Ranya Svoboda, the visionary behind this concept, got the idea after a rather lackluster showgoing experience in town. Svoboda and her husband Bill have a deep love for food, drink, and music, especially classical varieties. They aimed to combine these elements in an elevated setting.The first dinner-and-a-show hosted by Champagne Ivy Events was a Vivaldi violin concerto - The Four Seasons, presented by candlelight with a menu crafted by chef Kevin Aho of Umbra Minneapolis. "We paired courses with each season, allowing guests to feel truly immersed. When he played 'Spring,' they got a spring salad, and when he played 'Winter,' they had a winter soup," Svoboda shares.Soon, Svoboda started bringing this immersive quality to movies. The first installment of Taste the Movies took place earlier this summer at Hotel Emery with multiple nights of Ratatouille. "Ratatouille has been our top seller as it's an adorable movie centered around food, and people know what to expect when they buy the ticket," Svoboda explains. But not all central flicks at Taste the Movies are food-related. For instance, with Shrek or Jurassic Park where humans are often the prey, they had to get creative.For the T-rex scene with the little goat in the rain from Jurassic Park, they served little sliders with a goat cheese fondue and a T-rex spicy cocktail. The evening also included a drink served in a little dinosaur egg. Svoboda meticulously outlines the menu for each screening and works with chefs to add fun touches. She is amazed by the chefs' ability to execute her original ideas. For an upcoming screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (which is already sold out), the kitchen team at Canopy by Hilton purchased molds to make chocolate chess pieces inspired by the wizard's chess scene. "I'm truly blown away by the creativity of the chefs we've had the privilege to work with."

Hosting in Various Venues

Taste the Movies has been hosted in various locations across Minneapolis, from Canopy by Hilton to Giulia at the Emery Hotel and Rand Tower Hotel. Upcoming holiday screenings of Home Alone and Elf are taking over the Granada Theater in Uptown. "We wanted a real movie theater experience, so we leveled up," Svoboda chuckles. The tickets aren't cheap, with upcoming screenings priced at $159.99 with mocktails or $169.99 with cocktails. This cost reflects the effort and collaboration involved in hosting a multi-course meal that transports guests.The screenings almost always sell out, and many of the tickets are purchased by repeat customers. "I see the same names coming through every time, and it means the world to me. My dream is to keep creating these events and bringing them to life," Svoboda says.