DINNER WITH FRIENDS.

After graduation, I took a leap of faith and moved to New York without knowing anyone. Living alone, I felt very isolated in such a bustling city, and I longed to build a community. That is why I joined Dinner with Friends as a dinner host and started bringing together 11 strangers every month to enjoy a meal and each other’s company.

Role: Experience Designer and Dinner Host

Dinner with Friends New York Times Feature

DINNER PARTY EXPERIENCE

1. I start the dinner off with a hug at the door and a toast, thanking everyone for spending their night with me.

2. When we sit down, I serve a passion fruit green tea cocktail, a drink I’ve had growing up in Taiwan.

3. While serving the three courses, I reveal that I made all the dinnerware + vases. This personalizes the experience and acts as a conversation starter.

4. I end every experience by handing out a postcard I designed with the event’s menu, so guests can bring a piece of the dinner home.

post-dinner EXPERIENCE

My goal is to help people make friends and foster a community. To facilitate this, I created a chat to ensure we can continue to connect with each other after every dinner.

  1. After every dinner, I create a group chat so everyone can keep in touch.

  2. Group Hike to See the Fall Foliage