A twist on takeout

For Cindy Berry, the "aha!" moment came in 2002 as she sat by the pool reading a magazine article about Dream Dinners, a new meal-assembly store in Seattle where customers could prepare a month's worth of food in about two hours.

"They had a commercial kitchen, high-quality ingredients and signature sauces," Berry said. "I thought it would be so nice to have something around here that would be so accessible."

Now, three years later, Berry and two friends -- sisters Lisa Begley and Janet Johnson -- are starting their own version of Dream Dinners in Cape Girardeau and Springfield, Mo.

Called Meals in Thyme, the businesses will allow home cooks to gather in a commercial kitchen and assemble prepared raw ingredients, following recipes, and make up to 12 meals. Meals in Thyme is scheduled to open Aug. 1 at King's Court, the newly built retail center at 1131 N. Kingshighway.

But the meals won't be cooked at Meals in Thyme. Instead, customers pack up entrees they've assembled in freezer bags and take them home.

"The advantage for doing it yourself is you can tailor it to your family's needs," Johnson said.

Plus, Berry points out, families have gotten so busy with youth activities, long work days and other extracurricular events that there often isn't time to prepare a good, healthful meal.

"You find yourself going through McDonald's and Burger King all the time, and that's not good," she said.

People who go to Meals in Thyme will also discover, the owners point out, that the experience will be convenient. Cooks skip all the shopping and trim back time on preparation and cleanup.

Meals in Thyme will feature 15 entree stations, each with a set of brief instructions. Customers will visit each station in whatever order they have chosen. All of the ingredients are either in refrigerator compartments or the station. As each dish is completed, the customer places it on their designated shelf in a refrigerator. Reservations will be needed so that the ingredients can be fresh.

When finished, customers will have a stockpile of a dozen homemade dinners in just two hours. They will be able to choose from six or 12 entrees from the monthly menu. The August menu will include seasoned steaks, garlic and herb shrimp and Greek salmon.

This isn't a place to prepare a casserole. After the meal-to-go is finished, labels are affixed to each entr*e along with cooking instructions.

Preparing six entrees will take about an hour; 12 entrees will take about two hours.

The concept has proven hugely popular across the country over the past three years, with nearly a dozen chains offering franchises. Last year, Dream Dinners franchises brought in $6 million.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137