What We Do
Do you remember how you met the people closest to you? Perhaps you found your business partner standing behind you at a coffee shop or your best friend while she was moving in down the hall. Did you meet your sweetheart while idly swiping right while waiting for the subway, or on your neighbor’s front stoop?
We spend a lot of time thinking about how we meet people who are important to us, and what it takes to go from a stranger to a meaningful connection. Some relationships are handed to us, like the best friend you met in 8th grade, but in the world of grown-ups, relationships and connections are not a given.
While there are countless reasons we love hosting Studio Table, the best part of every event is the chance to watch a group of people begin the evening as strangers and leave as friends. We’re told that even the most confident extroverts experience some degree of trepidation before entering a room full of strangers. It’s tempting to rely on the version of ourselves that is easiest to explain -- a job title, a company affiliation, or a birthplace, for example. Small talk is a safe harbour. Part of why we focus so much on providing food and art is because we believe these elements can encourage people to be a little vulnerable in conversation, and ultimately make deeper connections.
Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of hosting a dinner for Soho House, the group of private clubs around the world for creative types. Our table was filled with an incredible roster of people who are bridging the worlds of creativity and tech. The evening began with cocktails, where people politely milled about and introduced themselves, but by dinner, it seemed that the group was ready to open up. What surprised us was, even in a group where everyone had a dream job, people didn’t want to be seen as just their job title. They were eager to discuss the interests they’d developed outside of the office, or how they were able to incorporate their passions into their work.
Getting to know the group of people who joined us that evening made us think more about what Studio Table is. We’re not a restaurant or a rentable space. We want to be the architecture for your memories, the backdrop for where you found that person who sparks your curiosity and awakens your creative instincts. We’re excited to create space for people to connect in meaningful ways, and help them uncover the myriad of new perspectives that may be sitting across the table.
Studio Table x Soho House was in the news! Check out the event write-up on sfchronicle.com
Written by Michelle Wei and Victoria Chao. Photos by Erin Conger.
A Note on Partnerships: Studio Table’s community experiences are made possible through paid partnerships with companies that share our values. We’re thankful for companies like Soho House, which support our creative endeavors, and the creative work of others. All content and opinions expressed in this essay belong to Studio Table.