An International Dining Experience · Presented by Island Ember

Seat at the Table brings together dishes from around the world and the stories behind them. Our next dinner is Thursday, November 5th at Fabrik DUMBO, and we'd love for you to join the dinner team.

The dinner team is the heart of the night — the first faces guests see, the people who get the food to every seat, and the ones who make a room full of strangers feel like a table full of friends. Here's what's involved.

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At a Glance

📅 Thursday, November 5, 2026 · Fabrik DUMBO, Brooklyn

⏰ Team arrives 4:30 PM · Contributors 5:00 · Featured Makers 5:30 · Doors 6:30

🍽️ This time the food comes to the table — course by course, passed family style

👕 Semi-formal. Wear something from your cultural background if you'd like.

🍛 Dinner's on us — you'll sit down and eat with everyone once the room settles.

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What's Different This Time

No buffet line. Two tables of 20. Each dish is portioned in the kitchen into one bowl per table, sent out with its course, and passed person to person. Each maker introduces their dish as it lands. Nobody waits in line, and everyone gets a taste of everything.

The Roles

Maker Check-Ins

The Layout

Run of Day

If you can come a little earlier to help with load-in, just let Moses know — extra hands are always welcome.

• [ ] Bring everything up to Suite 218 via the elevator, stage bins in one corner
• [ ] Set the two dining tables
• [ ] Chairs out and counted — extras behind the blinders
• [ ] Linens on
• [ ] Set up kitchen staging and bowls
• [ ] Set the drink station and name tag table
• [ ] Stage sternos and fuel (don't light yet)
• [ ] Extension cords in place
• [ ] Lay out plates, cups, napkins, small serving spoons
• [ ] Grab ice and fill the coolers
• [ ] Fill the water dispenser

Dressing the Room

• [ ] Lighting set
• [ ] Music on, levels tested
• [ ] Decor placed
• [ ] Signage at the entrance and by the elevator
• [ ] Handout spot set up

Quick Huddle

• [ ] Walk the room together
• [ ] Confirm roles and zones
• [ ] Run the course order

5:00 PM — Contributors Arrive

• [ ] Greet and walk each person to the kitchen
• [ ] Portion dishes into bowls, hold a reserve
• [ ] Label every bowl
• [ ] Hot items onto sternos, cold into the fridge

5:30 PM — Featured Makers Arrive

• [ ] Greet each maker and walk them to the kitchen
• [ ] Portion and label their dish
• [ ] Confirm their course and intro timing
• [ ] Let them know they eat too

6:15 PM — Final Sweep Before Doors

• [ ] Walk the room as a guest would
• [ ] Light the sternos
• [ ] Every bowl labeled
• [ ] Lighting and music at the right level
• [ ] Name tag table stocked
• [ ] Someone at the door

6:30 PM — Doors Open

• Greet every guest, name tags out
• Welcome drinks served

6:45 PM — Welcome

• Everyone seated
• Welcome remarks

7:00 PM — Courses

• Send bowls out course by course
• Each maker introduces their dish as it lands
• Top up bowls quietly from the reserve
• Refresh drinks, keep water filled

8:15 PM — Dessert

• Clear trash and plates
• Dessert bowls out

8:45 PM — Wrap

• Closing thank-you
• Mingling
• Quiet cleanup at the edges

Breakdown

• Consolidate leftover food
• Return pans and gear to their owners
• Pack bins, trash out, wipe tables
• Reset furniture as we found it
• Sweep for anything left behind

Good to Know

On the Day

Day-Of Briefing - Nov 5