After Dinner: Table of New Friends
Kate Taylor and her husband Jeff attended Transformation Table’s Italian Dinner, on Saturday, December 9, 2017. The dinner featured a meal that would be found on any Italian family’s dinner table prepared by Chef Vanina Meystre and hosted by Katie & Billy Dahlheim. It was our last dinner of 2017 and first on James Island!
“My husband Jeff and I attended a Transformation Table dinner prepared by Chef Vanina. The food was delicious (especially the lemon dessert!) but it was the conversation at the table that I remember most, facilitated by our lovely hostess, Tina. The dinner was at the home of Katie and Billy Dahlheim, and we are still friends with them and with Tina, too. In fact, we are still friends with several people we met that evening: Katie Leo & Gary Keast, as well as Kat Morgan & Daena Peterson. We’ve gone out for dinner, seen plays, movies, and just hung out,” Kate shared.
- Kate Taylor
The conversation centered a lot around identity and place.
Katie shared what it was like growing up Korean in the Midwest and her first visit to Korea. David talked about growing up in Colleton County. Sameka shared the journey she is on with her daughter around raising a self-confident black child in the Lowcountry, and Daena spoke about certain challenges she faces as a lesbian.
It was rich, honest, and open dialogue that we have come to treasure at Transformation Table.
“I knew from the first time I read about Transformation Table that I wanted to be a part of this movement. Hosting was effortless due to Tina's attention to detail and expert planning. We found a babysitter, and she took care of absolutely everything else!
I was already excited for this experience, but as an Italian American, when I found out that Vanina would be cooking, I was thrilled! Tina made everyone feel at ease and our conversations flowed naturally. The food was amazing, and we realized several of our guests live very close to us. My husband and I were so happy to have such a warm, eclectic group of people in our home, and we would be thrilled to host again or attend a Transformation Table as guests. Thank you, Tina, for realizing the importance of a simple task - having dinner with strangers - in our current political and cultural climate.”
- Katie Dahlheim, dinner host
"I love the concept of Transformation Table; I loved cooking in a private home. Cooking with all the people around, asking questions and sharing their family souvenir and traditions about food was a real blast for me.”
- Chef Vanina Meystre
“That’s the beauty of Transformation Table - it keeps going long after the table is cleared. ”