From Dinner Parties to Supper Club: A New Way to Grow Your Community
The Benefits of Hosting Regular In-Person Events
In the bustling pace of digital life, taking the time to connect with others is often pushed to the back burner. But what if I told you there's a way to foster community, enjoy delicious meals, and create meaningful connections- all within the comfort of your own home? Welcome to the concept of a supper club. Think of it as a book club, but instead of discussing literary classics, you're enjoying a culinary experience and connecting with like-minded people.
What is a Dinner Club?
Dinner clubs, also known as supper clubs, are not a new concept. They've been around in various forms for decades, offering a space for food lovers to come together and share their passion. But in this digital age, they've evolved into a powerful tool for community building. A supper club allows you to foster deeper connections with people of influence, connectors, experts, customers, or even strangers who share a common interest.
A bit about me—I'm Diana, the CEO and co-founder of Chefpost. When I started hosting experiences to connect with like-minded women, I realized how much we all learned, connected, and empowered each other around the table. Our energy was lifted, and it was amazing to see how many of us fostered relationships after those gatherings, so it became the thing! You can learn more about Chefpost here.
And now, for the fun part: I co-host monthly, intimate gatherings—be it brunches, breakfasts, luncheons, or dinners—aimed at empowering like-minded women around the table. During these events, I address common questions, facilitate connections among participants, inspire big dreams, and foster a supportive community that empowers each woman to actively pursue and achieve her aspirations.
The word spread, and many people wanted to either get invited or co-host similar events with me. Knowing the power of these experiences to build meaningful connections, I want to empower you to do the same and grow your community so you can host your own gatherings, too.
In this blog post, I'll guide you through the steps to create your own dinner club or supper club and how this in-person event can be a catalyst for community growth. This is my proven framework:
Getting Started: Planning Your Dinner or Experience
1. Define Your Goal
Why are you hosting the event? Having a clear purpose will guide your decisions about who to invite and how to structure your gathering. Your purpose is to create a space for meaningful connections, collaborations, and co-creation opportunities by hosting an exclusive gathering with strategic guests who share similar interests. As the host, you aim to foster valuable relationships first and promote businesses second while providing a unique experience for your guests. It’s all about the guests, not about you. Chances are that if you are reading this, you have something special to share with your community. Be the real you and share, give, and share again. That’s why the supper clubs are designed to be around the table, people's favorite place to share great conversations.
2. Assemble Your Guests
The people you invite to your dinner can make or break its success. The guests are the soul of the party. Have a good mix of 10 -12 max (Get a wishlist of 15; not everyone who is invited might be able to come). The key is to invite people who share similar values and interests:
This is my favorite mix of guests:
- Ideal people you want to have in your network and connect with.
- People of influence, connectors, and whisperers with an existing audience.
- Experts in the subject or topic you want to focus on your experience
- Loyal customers, brand evangelists, or partners who have been supporting you in your journey—this is a wonderful way to give back.
- Like-minded individuals who need a seat at the table to get empowered by other guests (especially if they have been supporting you.)
3. Design and Create a Unique Experience
Real, intimate, and authentic conversations tend to happen in smaller, more curated spaces and groups. We want to incentivize meaningful conversations, not teaching or preaching.
- Decide on the date and time. (Fridays work best) Give yourself at least one month to start planning your event. Send invites 20 days in advance.
- Place: Your home is best; it is the most personal and intimate space you could ever have. If you are co-hosting, you can also use your co-host's home. Avoid restaurants, as they tend to be too loud for deep conversations.
- Envision the concept, get some inspo from Chefpost Pinterest boards
- Consider booking a Chef at Chefpost, where you can browse different culinary experiences curated by vetted chefs with different specialties. Feel free to reach out to our Experience Team to help you curate a wonderful experience without the hassle. Our Chefpost Team coordinates supper clubs on a daily basis, so this would be of huge help to you, my busy people. Plus, your event coordination is complimentary when you book your chef at Chefpost. It’s a win-win.
- Plan the details: Flowers and a beautiful tablescape make the difference. Our Experience Team will help coordinate all the details with our local partners so you can create an Instagramable experience.
- Book a professional videographer or photographer to capture all the special moments. Make sure they deliver the content on the same day or the next day at the latest. (Our Chefpost Experience Team can also provide our preferred vendors for this).
While at the Event:
Engage in sincere conversations and uncover pain points during the event. Let your authenticity shine, and avoid the pressure to make immediate sales pitches. Remember, your focus is to help build meaningful and personal relationships. Make the magic happen:
- Have place cards and sit people who don’t know each other together.
- Organize the flow of the conversation as a round table. Give each guest the opportunity to participate.
- Take the time to engage in conversation with your guests (use conversation cards and a specific topic the group might be interested in)
- Be intentional about guiding the conversation: uncovering challenges, desires, and potential opportunities.
- The main purpose of a dinner club is to enjoy good food and good company. So don't stress about everything being perfect. The most important thing is to have fun, enjoy the food, and appreciate the company. This is why you book a private chef, so you can enjoy what matters the most.
Grow Your Community:
After the Event:
- Resist the urge to post immediately on social media. Let the guests lead the way. If you did a good job, they’ll post without asking, I promise. Repost their content first and always thank them for sharing the love.
- The next day: Send a personalized thank you note, share the guest's social media so they can continue the conversation with each other, and make a “last ask.” For example, share a testimonial, schedule a coffee, join a WhatsApp chat, subscribe to your newsletter, etc.. If you have photos with the guests, share those with them as well.
- Amplify: Post the experience on social (video and carousel storytelling format) on all your social media channels and make a thoughtful, value-driven caption. Tag and mention all of your guests.
- Continue nurturing these relationships.
A dinner club is more than just a recurring meal. It's a chance to connect with others, share experiences, and grow your community. As your club grows, consider monetizing it or opening it up to new members. I personally don’t monetize just yet; it is a by-invitation-only experience to build community around the brand, and I have a waitlist of people who want to be invited. This means it works and proves that word of mouth will forever be the number one source of leads. If you want to open your supper club to the public, it makes sense to monetize, but make sure that the value you bring outweighs the cost for your guests.
In conclusion, starting a supper club is a wonderful way to bring people together, share culinary experiences, and foster a stronger sense of community. So why not give it a try? You might just find that your dinner club becomes the number one way to grow your community. After you experience the magic of growing your community with in-person experiences, find a cadence you can commit to and make it all over again.
Let’s do this!
Book a Chef at www.chefpost.com
Need help Hosting Your Event? Reach out to us at experience@chefpost.com
Interested in co-hosting an event with Diana (Chefpost’s co-founder) to get you started? Join the Waiting List
