Our First Supper Club: An Evening of Connection, Chaos, and Chocolate Mousse
I'll be honest. I had no idea how this was going to go.
Fourteen invitations sent. Ten people confirmed. Twelve of us total around the table, including my mom and me. And somehow, that number felt absolutely perfect.
This was our first supper club. The first time we stopped talking about bringing people together and actually did it. The first time we put our mission on the table, quite literally, and invited strangers and friends alike to pull up a chair.
And I'm not going to pretend I wasn't nervous.
The Vision Behind the Table
We started this supper club for a simple reason: it's what Totem is all about.
We talk a lot about connection. About creating space for unforgettable meals. About slowing down and showing up for the people around us. But at some point, you have to stop preaching and start practicing.
So we did.
We wanted to create an evening where different groups of people, some who had never met before, could come together over phenomenal food and leave with something more than a full stomach. We wanted laughter. Conversation. Stories that would be retold for years.
We wanted unforgettable.
The Menu
My mom, Breanne Stuart, is the heart behind every meal our family has ever shared. So naturally, she took the lead on the menu. And let me tell you, she did not hold back.
Five courses. Four handcrafted by Breanne. One by me.
We started with appetizers: jalapeño puff pastry bites alongside a spread of crackers and dips. Light enough to spark conversation while everyone settled in.
Then came a fresh winter green salad, tossed in a tangy vinaigrette and topped with crunchy onion rings. Simple, seasonal, and perfectly refreshing.
The third course was farmers market pasta, hand-tossed in a fra diavolo sauce with tender zucchini and caramelized onion. The kind of dish that makes the whole room go quiet for a moment.
For the main event, we served chicken chasseur alongside beef wellington draped in a rich bordelaise sauce. This was the course that had us in the kitchen for hours, but the looks on everyone's faces made every minute worth it.
And finally, dessert. This one was mine.
I made the chocolate mousse. Handcrafted, from scratch, by a 21-year-old who learned most of his kitchen skills from watching his mom over the years. Was it perfect? Probably not. But it was made with intention, and that's what mattered.
The Tablescape
We knew from the start that we wanted the table to feel special. So we reached out to Elise Ann, a talented local designer here in Ann Arbor, to help us bring the vision to life.
Elise sourced fresh greens and created an environment that felt whimsical but still entirely functional. The table was beautiful, yes, but more importantly, it was ready to be used. No excessive clutter. No decorations blocking views or making it awkward to reach for food.
It was elegant without being untouchable. And that balance is harder to achieve than people realize.
The Conversations
Here's the thing about gathering people from different walks of life around the same table: the conversations become unpredictable in the best way.
That night, we talked about everything.
Someone told a story about accidentally catching a pelican while fishing. We debated the future of artificial intelligence. The topic of cassette tapes came up at one point, and I had to admit I didn't even know what they were, which got a big laugh from the older guests.
We talked about Generation Z, which was particularly entertaining given the multigenerational mix at the table. There were moments of genuine curiosity, moments of laughter, and moments where you could tell a real connection was being made between people who had been strangers just hours before.
That's the magic of the table. It levels the playing field. Everyone has a seat. Everyone has a voice.
The Imperfect Moments
I want to be clear about something: this evening was not flawless.
At one point, the Alexa in the corner decided to play a song with some rather vulgar lyrics. Right in the middle of dinner. The whole room burst into laughter, and I scrambled to turn it off while trying not to knock over a wine glass.
But here's the thing. We weren't going for perfect. We were going for unforgettable.
And sometimes, the imperfect moments are the ones people remember most.
The Totem Stand
I'll admit, I was curious to see how our 3-tier serving stand would fit into the evening. Would it feel out of place? Would it steal attention from the food?
As it turned out, it did exactly what it was designed to do.
The Totem stand wasn't the show stealer. It was the quiet complement that brought everything together. It elevated the table, saved space, and created easy reach for every guest. Nobody had to stretch awkwardly or ask someone to pass something that was just out of reach. It didn't block anyone's view or get in the way of conversation.
It simply worked. And in a way, that's the highest compliment a product can receive. It enhanced the experience without demanding attention.
A 21-Year-Old Hosting a Supper Club
After the evening ended and everyone had gone home, I sat with the realization that I had just hosted a supper club at 21 years old.
That's not exactly common.
Most people my age are ordering DoorDash and eating in front of their laptops. And there's nothing wrong with that. But I've always felt a pull toward something different. Toward gathering people. Toward creating space for the kind of moments that actually matter.
I credit my mom for that. Those five dinners a week growing up weren't just about food. They were about learning that connection is worth the effort. That showing up for people is one of the most valuable things you can do.
Hosting this supper club felt like the beginning of something. A way to take everything I believe about the table and put it into practice.
What's Next
Our guests left us with some incredible ideas for the next one.
We're thinking about hosting a younger crowd next time. Livelier music. A less formal vibe. One idea that really stuck was making it interactive, maybe having everyone help roll sushi together so the meal becomes a shared experience from start to finish.
The beauty of the supper club format is that it can evolve. It can be fancy or casual. Structured or spontaneous. The only requirement is that people show up ready to connect.
And based on our first evening, I'd say the appetite for that kind of experience is very much alive.
The Takeaway
I went into that night hoping for a good evening. I came out of it understanding, on a deeper level, why Totem exists.
It's not about the product. It's not about the food. It's not even about the perfectly curated tablescape.
It's about creating the conditions for connection to happen.
It's about carving out time in our busy lives to sit across from another human being and actually be present. To share a meal. To tell a story. To laugh at an accidental rap song interruption and keep the evening going.
This supper club was our first. It won't be our last.
Because if there's one thing I learned that night, it's that people are hungry for this. Not just for good food, but for real moments. For evenings that feel different from the ordinary scroll of daily life.
And if I can help create more of those moments, whether through a supper club, a product, or simply by showing up at my own table, then I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.
Here's to the next gathering. Here's to the imperfect, unforgettable moments that make life worth living.
And here's to everyone who pulled up a chair that night and reminded me why this work matters.
See you at the table.
Jordan Stuart is the founder and CEO of Totem Serve, a serveware company dedicated to bringing people closer through the power of shared meals. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he continues to host gatherings, make chocolate mousse, and learn what cassette tapes are.
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