Syracuse • On some nights, a warehouse here transforms into the swamps from “Shrek,” the aromatic Parisian kitchen from “Ratatouille,” or even the dense, mist-soaked forests of Forks, Washington, from the world of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series.

That’s how the Yocum family, sets the table for moviegoers, instantly transporting them to their favorite fictional worlds. Then, with the film playing on a floor-to-ceiling screen, the main course begins: the food.

Welcome to Cinebites, an event series that features a popular movie and a six-course meal with dishes inspired by the film on the screen.

“Cinebites is kind of a twist on dinner and a movie,” said Alexis Yocum, one of the owners of the Warehouse 22 event space. “Basically, we’ll show a film, and then whenever food shows up in the film, it’ll show up on your plate in real life.”

So as people sat down for a recent showing of the 2008 vampire fantasy “Twilight,” they were poured lavender lemonade that sparkled with edible glitter, like the “skin of a killer.” Later, they got a taste of the mushroom ravioli that Bella, the film’s heroine, ate during her Port Angeles trip.

A family business

The Yocums started Cinebites last year to integrate their two businesses. They own Warehouse 22, a hybrid event venue and home to BD Catering.

Cinebites is a family affair. Alexis’ brother, Boston Yocum, is the kitchen manager and her uncle, Ken Yocum, is the executive chef. They all sit down to watch a movie and craft a menu together.

“We will watch the movie through and sometimes it’s just verbiage that says it, but as we go through, I write it with the timeline,” Ken said. “We’ve started doing a family rating. If it’s something we must do or this one you could go with it or without it. At the end, sometimes we have 20 different ideas.”

Ken studied at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and the Culinary Institute of America, where he became a certified executive chef. He opened BD Catering in 2012 as a way to balance his career alongside starting a family. The family added the event portion in 2019.

Creating courses inspired by the movies is a fun challenge for the Yocums, especially for a movie like “Twilight” where the food inspiration isn’t always obvious.

“It’s definitely challenging in the way that it’s fun to be able to still create something new,” Ken said.

On the day of movie events, Ken said it’s a dance of “controlled chaos” and lots of preparation. There are usually two prep cooks that start eight hours before the film, alongside two lead chefs, two additional cooks, and many servers and ushers who deliver the food to patrons.

The goal of Cinebites is to match the courses with what is happening on screen, but sometimes challenges arise. Ken said they try to at least get them delivered to patrons in a four-to-five minute window, but for some movies, like “Twilight,” they might be delivered out of order.

“This is something that allows us to test some creativity. So it comes with challenges, but it makes it a little bit more exciting,” Ken said.

All in the details

The business showcases a lot of children’s films — “Ratatouille,” “Shrek,” “The Lady and the Tramp” for example — but Cinebites has also featured “50 First Dates,” “Mamma Mia!” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”

The success of Cinebites lies in the attention to detail. The lavender lemonade has a paper straw that looks like birch bark, evoking the woodsy environment of Forks. The tables are set with flickering candles, patches of moss, string lights, fake vampire teeth and of course, apples.

The six-course menu includes two entrees (“Charlie’s Dinner Sliders” and “Bella’s Mushroom Ravioli”), a “Fork Forest” apple walnut salad, an apple cobbler for dessert and two drinks. The second, “Vampire’s Kiss,” has a delightfully Utah twist: a Sprite with a vial of blood (cherry syrup) that visitors mix in themselves.

It’s enough to convince fans near and far to visit. Ken said one of the first nights they did “Twilight,” they had a couple visit who drove 22 hours from Wisconsin.

Janeanne Corcuera, a local, has been a diehard “Twilight” fan since the books came out when she was in high school. At the film, she was sporting a “Team Jacob” shirt.

“[The series] is a guilty pleasure. It’s just comforting and nostalgic. I love it so much,” Corcuera said.

It was her third time attending a Cinebites event, but as a “Twilight fan,” she enjoyed the food and experience.

“I thought it was really good. I was more expecting a berry cobbler, not like an apple pie type thing. … Those burgers were really good,” Corcuera said.

Tickets for Cinebites cost $60 for adults and $50 for those 13 and under. There are movies shown nearly every weekend. Halloween showings for movies like “Coco” and “Hocus Pocus” are on sale now.