{"id":154061,"date":"2025-03-05T21:36:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T21:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/05\/how-to-start-your-own-supper-club-side-hustle\/"},"modified":"2025-03-05T21:36:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T21:36:17","slug":"how-to-start-your-own-supper-club-side-hustle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/05\/how-to-start-your-own-supper-club-side-hustle\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start Your Own Supper Club Side Hustle"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The hottest reservation right now isn\u2019t at a Michelin-starred spot or helmed by a celebrity chef. You won\u2019t find it on OpenTable or Resy either. Instead, it might be happening in a cozy apartment in Manhattan, a tucked-away warehouse in Chicago, or a charming caf\u00e9 in London. But no\u2014these aren\u2019t up-and-coming restaurants. In fact, they\u2019re not restaurants at all. They\u2019re part of one of the latest trends in dining: supper clubs.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the kind you might be picturing\u2014white tablecloths or Midwestern members-only social clubs. These modern supper clubs are intimate, themed, multi-course dining experiences that anyone can attend (if you can score a ticket, that is). They often have rotating locations, surprise menus, and guest lists of strangers that range from six to 60. Some feel like secret dinner parties; others resemble immersive culinary events. But one thing is certain: they\u2019re popping up everywhere.<\/p>\n

Curious about how to start your own? We spoke to the people behind some of these clubs to get their advice on building a community around food.<\/p>\n

Who:<\/strong> Liz Bendure and Daniel Parker<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong> Various locations around Chicago & their storefront in Logan Square<\/p>\n

Cost of ticket:<\/strong> On average between $95-$110<\/p>\n

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Photo by AJ Grimm<\/span>
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For some, supper clubs start as a side project. For Liz Bendure<\/a> and Daniel Parker of TXA TXA Club<\/a>, it quickly became their full-time job, even though they never expected it to. What began as a backyard dinner party in Chicago evolved into a thriving business.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first it was just friends, then friends of friends, and then a couple months later, it was all strangers,\u201d said Liz.<\/p>\n

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\n At first it was just friends, then friends of friends, and then a couple months later, it was all strangers\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Launched in the summer of 2021, TXA TXA Club was their way of reimagining communal dining post-pandemic. As lockdowns eased, they saw people craving connection, hospitality, and new ways to gather. And turns out, they still do.<\/p>\n

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While their business has expanded beyond supper clubs, they still host one on the last Friday of every month, usually in a different space and often in collaboration with a local business or nonprofit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe create a third space for people to dine in a way that feels different from a restaurant,\u201d Liz explained.<\/p>\n

Each dinner typically runs for three hours, featuring five courses (including a cocktail hour) and plenty of conversation.<\/p>\n

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Their extensive travels through Southeast Asia, Italy, and Spain\u2014specifically the Basque region\u2014have heavily influenced their dishes. They always aim to balance heat, acid, and spice while drawing inspiration from a variety of global flavors.<\/p>\n

\u201cResearch is very important to us and we\u2019re incredibly interested in learning from different people\u201d she said. \u201cWe really want to use ingredients from all over, because so many places have stories to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Who:<\/strong> Alba Mari\u0301a Elena and Tala AlRayes<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong> Various cafes & restaurants in London<\/p>\n

Cost of ticket:<\/strong> Between \u00a340-\u00a375<\/p>\n

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Unlike Liz and Daniel, who have decades of hospitality experience between them, Alba Mar\u00eda Elena<\/a> and Tala AlRayes<\/a> had little formal training when they launched T\u00eate \u00e0 T\u00eate<\/a>. The two friends met at university and instantly bonded over their shared love of cooking and vegan food. While both grew up in families who cooked, they said it was rare to find someone their age who shared the same level of passion.<\/p>\n

Their first supper club in June was an experiment after a conversation at a park led to a plan: They\u2019d serve seven plant-based courses like a caramelized fig and orange salad, deep fried olives, and fresh ravioli filled with cashew ricotta.<\/p>\n

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Since then, they’ve nearly sold out every event, gained thousands of followers<\/a>, and hosted dinners at different cafes across London.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople crave spaces where they feel comfortable and can meet new people,\u201d said Alba. \u201cIt\u2019s becoming more normal to do things alone and step out of your comfort zone like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n People crave spaces where they feel comfortable and can meet new people\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Each event has a new theme with a seasonal menu to match. They handle everything from grocery shopping to testing recipes to food photography all while working full-time jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can go with friends, but it\u2019s also an opportunity to talk to strangers,\u201d Tala added. \u201cEveryone there is on the same vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Who:<\/strong> Akhil Jonnalagadda and Lukas Facile<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong> Their apartment in Manhattan (with future NYC pop-ups planned)<\/p>\n

Cost of ticket:<\/strong> On average between $60 & $100<\/p>\n

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Photo by Maggie Menendez<\/span>
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For Akhil Jonnalagadda and Lukas Facile, their supper club Two Economists<\/a> started with a simple idea: hosting dinner parties for friends in their New York City apartment. It wasn\u2019t until a friend suggested selling tickets that they realized they had something bigger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think people would be as interested as they were, but we\u2019ve been selling out dinners and meeting amazing people,\u201d said Akhil.<\/p>\n

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\n I didn\u2019t think people would be as interested as they were, but we\u2019ve been selling out dinners and meeting amazing people,\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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They aim for at least one supper club a month, typically with a Friday and Saturday service. Each dinner is capped at six guests and includes four courses each paired with a drink. In the summer, they increase to two events a month and are planning pop-ups at local restaurants.<\/p>\n

Their rotating menus often center around seasonal ingredients. For their \u201cNight on the Coast<\/a>\u201d dinner, for example, they focused on coconut, serving dishes like seared halloumi, shrimp soba noodles, and homemade coconut ice cream.<\/p>\n

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Balancing it all with their full-time banking jobs isn\u2019t easy (the name itself is a nod to how they met in grad school for economics).<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve ever gone to bed before 2 a.m. on Fridays,\u201d Akhil laughed. \u201cWe basically go for 24 hours straight\u2014but the best part is we always go out with the guests after.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do You Need Formal Culinary Training?<\/h4>\n

\u201cMy husband and I have been in hospitality for 15 to 20 years. We’ve opened and closed restaurants and worked everywhere from dive bars to fine dining.\u201d \u2014Liz<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve cooked my whole life. Tala did a plant-based culinary course after university, but we mostly just loved cooking for friends. We used to host mini supper clubs with five-course menus just for fun.\u201d \u2014Alba<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLukas was a butcher at one point. I worked in cafes and catering on the side, but mostly I just love to cook. Growing up, I was always in the kitchen with my mom and she taught me all the basics.\u201d \u2014Akhil<\/em><\/p>\n

Advice for New Hosts?<\/h4>\n

\u201cAlways surround yourself with people who inspire you because a lot of these things can’t happen without collaboration. I think anyone could do this, they just have to have enough passion and drive and the ability to ask for help.\u201d \u2014Liz<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t really recommend starting with something like [an eight course dinner] because you’re gonna have a million other things to stress about besides just the food. After we had the first one, we were kind of like, \u2018We don’t want to do this again,\u2019 and you definitely don’t want to feel like that.\u201d \u2014Tala<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStart small. Try it with friends and build from there. Don’t shoot for the fences and do ten dishes right away. Give yourself room for error, do a trial run, but then just really go for it. Things aren’t always going to go right, but that\u2019s okay.\u201d\u2014Akhil<\/em><\/p>\n

What Keeps Guests Coming Back?<\/h4>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had people who\u2019ve lived in the same neighborhood for years finally meet each other. Or they learn about a new local space or business. I\u2019ve also found that food brings out nostalgia and people share stories about childhood and family.\u201d\u2014Liz<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLondon is such a big city but it’s still so anonymous. Loads of people come by themselves and we’ve realized that people really crave that community aspect of it\u2014and I think that’s what we ended up enjoying the most as well.\u201d \u2014Alba<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cJust creating a safe space for everyone, and for people to come alone. We’re always a bit nervous about how everyone will get along, but they always have a good time and bond over good food.\u201d \u2014Tala<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve had people that we don\u2019t even know show up and they’ve integrated right away. I also didn’t fully expect the social aspect that would come out of this. I’ve become friends with people that I didn’t know before these dinners, and that I hung out with after.\u201d \u2014Akhil<\/em><\/p>\n

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Ready to start your own supper club? Where would you host it, and what would you serve to wow your guests?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n