Daishu McGriff, the self‑proclaimed "Mushroom Queen" behind Shroomlicious, has quietly slipped back into the downtown dining scene with a new residency called Shroomlicious Baby at The Artist Table. The pop‑up is serving plant‑forward comfort food, including a Korean chili‑sauced oyster mushroom "wing" that editors highlighted this week. Photographs of the dish were taken on Wednesday, April 22, and social buzz around the residency suggests the run is active this week. For McGriff, it is a soft return after shuttering her original Shroomlicious operation in early 2024.
As reported by The Daily Memphian, critic Erica Horton tapped the Korean chili‑sauced deep‑fried oyster mushroom "wings" as a $15 Deal pick, calling them "sweet and spicy" with "finger‑licking stickiness" and plenty of "crunch." The piece also points readers to McGriff's January appearance on the paper's Sound Bites podcast, where she laid out her vision for The Artist Table and a rotating residency model. That episode offers a fuller context for the downtown run.
Chef Residencies, Immersive Dinners
The Artist Table bills itself as a creative incubator where chefs take over the kitchen for limited residencies, hosting themed dinners and experimental pop‑up nights in a converted gallery space. According to The Artist Table, the venue operates out of 412 S. Main and curates rotating programs that pair local cooks with immersive concepts.
From a Closure to a Soft Relaunch
McGriff's route back to diners has not been a straight line. She closed Shroomlicious in January 2024 and told the Sound Bites host about a false start at a brick‑and‑mortar before pivoting to pop‑ups and residencies. Reporting from The Daily Memphian notes that several ideas she floated on the January podcast have now come to life with Shroomlicious Baby's downtown appearances. The residency doubles as both a creative outlet and a chance to rebuild the brand on a smaller, more flexible scale.
Upcoming Dates and How to Go
Downtown Memphis' event calendar has listed several Shroomlicious outdoor pop‑ups at The Artist Table this spring, and community ticketing pages show McGriff running classes and late‑evening pop‑ups that often sell out. Meanwhile, Eventbrite shows the venue hosting immersive themed nights such as Chef Ranequa Bean's "Taste in the Dark." The listings underline that The Artist Table's calendar is a solid place to watch for future Shroomlicious dates.
Tickets and reservations for The Artist Table's dinners are handled through the venue's website, and walk‑up pop‑ups are announced on local event pages and McGriff's social channels. The Artist Table is located at 412 S. Main St. in downtown Memphis, and its online calendar lists upcoming residencies and ticketing information.
