BY ABsorbdc | @absorbdc
What started as a seemingly normal weekend of friends and happy hours turned into an unforgettable and delicious experience. Through Fork Monkey, a company that brings the stories of talented chefs to life through underground supper clubs, private dinner parties, popups, and food tours, I heard about an opportunity to enjoy some delicious food and meet new people – Hush Supper Club.
For those of you who are not aware of this popular trend, Supper Clubs are opportunities for vetted chefs to invite small groups of people into their homes and share their talents and stories through an intimate dinner. After hearing about the opportunity to attend one of these events, I reserved my spot in line for Hush Supper Club by filling out a form which asked for not only generic information like a name and phone number, but also included more in depth questions such as “an anecdote that would help to describe myself” and a required photo.
Unfortunately filling out this form is only the first step in the selection process and does not guarantee a seat at the table just yet. The real confirmation comes from an email from Geeta, the host of the evening, stating that you have been selected. Limited details are provided as this is all part of the Hush experience.
Hours before the event I received another email including specific instructions such as the time and location, menu, and passcode, which is required to get through the door (reinforcing the intimacy of the night).
Hours before the event I received another email including specific instructions such as the time and location, menu, and passcode, which is required to get through the door (reinforcing the intimacy of the night).
Throughout the next five hours, as dishes continued to flood the table, we indulged in food, laughed over personal stories and current topics, and became educated in the Indian culture, which included a spice tour.
I expected to enjoy a great meal prepared by a talented chef; I expected to meet some interesting people; I expected I would have a good time. What I didn’t expect, however, was to learn about the culture of an entire group of people and be exposed to thought-provoking conversations that urged us to ask questions that matter.
An authentic Indian meal succeeded in filling me up, as well as giving me answers to the ever-daunting questions of “why.” It is now clear to me that a large part of understanding culture is first understanding why food is prepared and eaten in the ways it is. Who would have thought that cultural understanding and tolerance could be achieved through our stomachs!
An authentic Indian meal succeeded in filling me up, as well as giving me answers to the ever-daunting questions of “why.” It is now clear to me that a large part of understanding culture is first understanding why food is prepared and eaten in the ways it is. Who would have thought that cultural understanding and tolerance could be achieved through our stomachs!