On The Dinner Circle and the art of gathering

Setting the table

The table was already set when I arrived. A single taper candle flickered beside my name card, handwritten in soft ink. Ceramic plates were stacked neatly, ready for communal hands to pass the roasted squash and wild rice stew across the long table. Around me were women from all walks of life, many who had never met before. We shared wine, served ourselves family-style, and by the time dessert was cleared, we were deep in conversation about filmmaking, art, and the small, lovely coincidences that brought us together.

This was The Dinner Circle.

Left photo by Matt Benson, @matt_bntl

Where it began

Jessamine-Bliss Bell and Jesse Decore, two longtime friends, met on a modeling shoot as teenagers and stayed close ever since. They were drawn together by a shared desire to create something that felt like real community.

"We met when we were really young, and we just stayed in touch through the years," Jesse said. "You don’t usually meet lifelong friends on set. That shoot went till 3AM, and that gave us the time to really talk."

From those early conversations, something bigger took root. Jessamine, a filmmaker and private chef, and Jesse, whose background also includes modeling, realised that dinners could become more than personal rituals. They could be public invitations. "We just thought, why don’t we do this but bigger?" Jesse said.

More than a meal

Jessamine and Jesse never set out to run a traditional supper club. What they’ve created is closer to experience design — a blend of atmosphere, intention and rhythm. “You’re not just coming for a seven-course meal and leaving,” Jessamine said. “It’s everything around it that makes it what it is.” From the lighting to the table settings to the way guests are invited to move around and mingle, the night is designed to feel cinematic but comfortable. A soft landing. Something you carry with you.

No two dinners happen in the same kind of space. One night might unfold in a derelict artist studio in Mexico City, another in a Parisian club stripped back to concrete. "Sometimes we don’t even know the venue until we arrive," Jessamine said. "You just have to adapt."

And adaptability in the kitchen is part of the job. Sometimes the oven doesn’t work, and you have to think on your feet. As Jessamine put it, "You thought you were having roast sea bass, but your oven doesn’t work, so you’re having sashimi."

Despite the unpredictable venues, no evening feels rushed. Some dinners have included short film screenings and live performances, while others end with hand-drawn portraits gifted as keepsakes. It’s thoughtful hosting at its best, a design that moves with care and intention from beginning to end.

A cultural shift around the table

There’s a cultural thread running through all this. Supper clubs are no longer just side projects or underground happenings — they’re becoming the new standard for how people want to gather. The Dinner Circle is part of that shift, but distinctly its own.

"I think people want more than just dinner," Jessamine said. "They want something personal, intentional. We live in such a digital world that people have forgotten how to connect."

Their version of the supper club goes beyond curated menus. Collaborations with collectives like SMiiLE have helped transform these gatherings into rituals — not just a dinner, but a way to come together before a night out, grounded by conversation and connection.

"We really focus on safety and like creating a safe space, and that's something that I think we've also lost touch with," Jessamine said. "Our energy is mother energy."

There are no menus released beforehand, and no guest lists published. You often arrive without knowing anyone, but you leave having shared something real. And that becomes the magic.

"I’ve seen a lot of supper clubs pop up lately," Jessamine said. "But we never set out to be trendy. We just wanted to make space." And that space isn’t just physical — it’s about how people feel when they enter the room. In a world where going out often means spending a lot of money on a night that might not even feel good, supper clubs offer something else. A night built around presence, not performance.

What's next

Looking ahead, Jessamine and Jesse are planning dinners in Paris, Barcelona, and Ibiza, hoping to collaborate with chefs, florists, and artists along the way. It’s less about where they’re going and more about what they’re building — space, care, and connection around a shared table. In the end, it’s simple gestures that hold meaning. Like passing the salad to the person next to you.

To keep up with upcoming dinners and everything exciting they have in the works, make sure to give them a follow on Instagram at @the_dinner_circle_.