Pop-Up restaurants, in which a private home or other space is transformed into a supper club, or in other words a temporary restaurant for a night featuring an exclusive menu and promoted by word-of-mouth and social networking sites, are all the rage in the U.S. and in Europe. Although the concept of pop-up restaurants or shops have grown in popularity over the past decade, one of the most popular pop-up restaurants to date was started by Jim Haynes, known as the "godfather of supper clubs" who has run a weekly Sunday dinner in his atelier in Paris for the past 30 years. The pop-up restaurant also acts as a gateway for up-and-coming chefs, such as Ludo Lefebvre, a French chef given the title the "king of Pop-Ups."The "Pop-Up" concept has also begun to thrive in Istanbul with the popular Pop-Up Restaurant Istanbul as well as other Pop-Up ventures such as bazaars held periodically in Karaköy and Kadıköy. Pop-Up Restaurant Istanbul is the first of its kind in the city. Run by a multi-cultural expat and former restaurant-owner named Kay, this very special Pop-Up restaurant serves up delectable worldly fare on special theme dinner nights based on a regional cuisine, such as Thai or Italian or special holidays such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. Enjoyed by foreigners and Turks alike, these very special dinners offer a delicious opportunity to expand your palate or get a taste of home while meeting new people in this unique dining experience.Kay, who was born in Singapore to a Singaporean father and Dutch mother and later studied in the U.K., moved to Turkey from London nearly 25 years ago for "a job and a man," but "most importantly," she says, "I wanted to change my life." Kay also owned a popular restaurant in Cihangir called Maya and Kay's Kitchen for four years that had a diverse menu of home cooking and a cozy atmosphere that was popular with the expat crowd.Pop-Up Restaurant Istanbul first started in November 2013 with a small following of about nine guests in her home, explains Kay. "Pop-Up was a new concept for me too, but I began a Facebook page and promoted myself though word of mouth. I strove to provide themes for the dinners, which enabled me to utilize my full culinary abilities," says Kay sharing, "I have travelled a lot and food has always interested me, so I have tried to mimic foods I've tasted from abroad."About twice a month Kay turns her home in Cihangir into a restaurant. She can seat 20 guests comfortably at two tables of eight and one for four guests, although she aims for 16 guests ideally, but adds, "I hate turning people away, which is a problem of mine." Guests to Pop-Up Restaurant Istanbul hail from all over the world, with the only common ground being that most everyone speaks English. Many guests come alone for the first time and meet others who they then reconnect with at future dinners. Couples tend to also come with other couples, but everyone gets to know each other and new friendships are born. "The thing I really like about this is that you can dine out as a single person and feel comfortable and safe with everyone," Kay said.Themed dinner nights are announced on the Pop-Up Restaurant Istanbul Facebook page where you can peruse the potential menu and reserve your spot. On the night of, guests are greeted by Kay's team, which includes her 15-year-old son and her daughter when in town or a close friend. Guests are advised to bring their own beverages, so upon arrival the staff helps get drinks organized, people introduced and settled. Once everyone arrives and has mingled, guests take their seats, and before the meal starts, Kay comes out to make an official introduction and goes over some of the delicacies they are about to embark upon.Just one of the many details that makes these dinners special is that at some point during the evening, the host asks for everyone's attention and tells her guests a story. "The art of storytelling has faded from our world," says Kay explaining: "My father was the master of stories at dinners and we loved to hear about adventures or strange happenings. I'm lucky that my life has been varied and unusual things happen to me so I am able to tell a story that is themed to the dinner."Kay also sits down with the guests once the meal is over, and everyone is relaxed and has gotten to know one another at which stage all of the guests tend to converge at one table to share drinks and conversation for the remainder of the night, just as you would expect at a normal dinner party. People stay as long as they like, which Kay says can be anywhere from midnight until dawn. "Each dinner is unique, each gathering of people makes it different as much as the cuisine. Pop-Up restaurant is not just about food. It's about feeling you've come to a place where you can be yourself, meet other welcoming people and enjoy great energy."I asked Kay what drove her to start her pop-up restaurant and what were some of the challenges. She said she has always loved holding parties and cooking up a feast for everyone; however, as a single mother, she had to rethink doing this because of the costs. The pop-up restaurant format was the perfect solution, as when you host friends you spend the whole time in the kitchen anyway, but this gives her a chance to meet new people. "I love hearing of their lives, and so it seemed a natural thing to do and start a pop-up. It is a labor of love, and I know my guests understand this, which is why I do get a lot of returning customers and have also made some very, very good friends." The most difficult part of hosting pop-up dinners is the intense effort it takes to put it all together, which she does alone for the most part, although she has had guest chefs over the years from Georgia, France and Mexico. "But I thrive on an edge," reveals Kay. "It's like being a racing car driver of the culinary world. I push beyond what I think is humanly possible and see if I can pull it off. So far so good."Kay's pop-up restaurant nights are mainly themed events such as this Saturday night's "Year of the Goat Pop-Up Dinner" in honor of the start of Chinese New Year that will start at 20:00. Upcoming pop-ups will be Sri Lankan curries, the best of South East Asia and stay-tuned for a murder/mystery game night that she has held successfully at her restaurant, which may pop up again in spring. Other past themed events have included Thai, Singapore, Malaysian, Kashmir & Ladakh, British, Italian as well special holiday dinners such as Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.What is for sure is that the Pop-Up Restaurant is a very unique experience to enjoy delicious and diverse international cuisine, worldly guests, interesting stories and an intimate setting in a home in the heart of Istanbul. Known only by word of mouth and social networking such as Facebook, attending a Pop-Up dinner can feel like joining a secret club that is a bit "MasterChef" meets "Come Dine with Me" (Yemekteyiz in Turkish) by way of a delicious dinner party that is all about yummy food, good fun and a one-of-a-kind experience.