For many, getting together to enjoy food is an important social experience, in which cultures, recipes and stories can be shared amid hearty and delicious meals.
There are a variety of group dynamics through which people can create community around their shared interest of food.
Dinner Parties and Potlucks
These two classic styles of dining get-togethers are differentiated by the source of the food served, with the host providing everything at a dinner party and each attendee bringing a dish to share at a potluck.
According to a 2021 study, the number of dinner party hosts rose by 25% after the COVID-19 pandemic, with 46% of respondents stating they were very excited to host and entertain guests again.
The holiday season often brings with it a rise in enthusiasm for dinner parties, with events such as “Friendsgiving” giving way to holiday parties in December and January.
Dublin resident Terri Butler has been a part of a dinner party group since the 1980s. For many years, she and her friends would gather for a lunch once a month – sometimes with a specific theme – and each participant was assigned a specific dish to bring.
“We would all try to bring something really different, and then we shared our recipes with each other,” Butler says. “We just always went all out and we are best friends still. We just like to eat and cook whatever we want.”
Over the years, Butler’s group has adapted to accommodate family schedules and health considerations, and has now transitioned to serving dinners instead of lunches.
Butler is also a part of a gourmet group through New Neighbors League, through which she has participated in themed dinner parties as well as visits to restaurants.
“It's a sharing experience,” Butler says. “Especially one that’s lasted this long, it’s not only the food, it’s the friendships, and it’s really so much fun.”
Progressive Dining
Another form of group eating is progressive dining, which features multiple locations throughout the night – one for each course of the meal. This allows for multiple participants to host each course, from soups and salads to entrees and dessert.
According to www.apartmentguide.com, progressive dining is best accomplished with thorough planning of meal themes and transportation logistics, allowing the night to go as smoothly as possible.
Progressive dining has evolved into other forms outside of the house. The experience can be accomplished by eating each course at a different restaurant, as opposed to a different house.
According to Cleveland Scene, progressive dining “enjoys a more leisurely pace than camping out at a single restaurant from start to finish.” For those who may desire to partake in progressive dining, Cleveland Scene says it is best to do so with a small group and to aim to spend roughly 30-60 minutes at each location.
The Columbus Date Night Guide provided options for a progressive dinner date in German Village, suggesting appetizers at Barcelona, a main course at Alpine and dessert at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus as one of the possible progressive dining plans in the Columbus area.
Going Out
A third option, of course, is the standard restaurant visit and, in central Ohio, there’s always something new to try.
Leo Japen runs the “Columbus Foodies” Facebook group, which started seven years ago and is now home to 42,000 food fanatics.
The group enables members to share their favorite Columbus eateries and discover new ones.
“If you’re looking for a certain cuisine or have a budget or special occasion you’re celebrating or even a part of town that you will be in, you can just ask and you will be flooded with options that other group members recommend,” Japen says. “I truly enjoy reading and learning all the incredible options that make Columbus the foodie paradise.”
There’s also Columbus Food Adventures, which arranges food tours for participants to try different cuisines around Columbus and learn about the area.
Co-founder Bethia Woolf says the tours enable participants to have a guided and curated eating experience.
“I think people enjoy the mix of history, as well as food,” Woolf says. “It’s like a guided tour. You’re learning about the Short North, or you’re learning about German Village, but at the same time, you’re getting to try lots of delicious food along the way.”
Lauren Serge is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
