The Dallas Dinner Society Savors Success Through Food and Friendship

After moving to Atlanta in 2019, Christina Howell returned home to Dallas a few years later. As she re-acclimated to the city, she noticed that a lot had changed in the restaurant scene. Places she once loved were no longer in business, and the local culinary scene had blossomed. But she also noticed that Dallas was getting a bad rap for food spots on TikTok.

"I noticed a lot on TikTok and other social media platforms, people making videos that Dallas doesn't have any good food and [saying], 'I hate our move here. I miss X, Y, and Z.' And I'm like, 'Oh no, they can't talk down on my city like this,'" she says. "We have so much good food, y'all just don't know where to go. So, let me show you where to go."

She started a food journey, dragging her sister and friend along to restaurants. Eventually, she was ready to expand her dinner party, so she posted on social media, knowing there had to be other people with a list of restaurants they wanted to try but maybe not people to go with.

"And that's how the community was born," Howell says.

Soon after, she created the Dallas Dinner Society, a members-only club for individuals who appreciate exclusive social gatherings and fine dining experiences at Dallas’ most sought-after restaurants and hidden gems.

Making Connections

Howell knows that food connects people.

"I'm actually a foodie at heart ... like that brings me so much joy. I take trips to try different restaurants in other cities and other countries. I love to cook," she told the Observer. "I just grew up with a passion for food. I had an aunt who used to watch Food Network growing up. And so I would always just like watch over her shoulder."

Last July, Howell hosted DDS' inaugural dinner at Jasper's in Richardson, which recently closed.
"When we got in the room, there were so many people who just moved here and they didn't know anybody. Or they've been here two, three years, some of them even eight years. And they don’t have people outside of the people they worked with,” she says. “They didn’t know how to meet people, which is understandable because a lot of them moved during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, it's like there weren't any networking events there. People aren't going into the office, so they're not meeting people in the breakroom or at lunch. And now, most people are remote."

All they needed was someone to say, 'Hey, show up here,' and Howell was up to the task. "And not everybody wants to go to a club. Not everybody wants to go to a networking event," she says.

Since then, Howell has arranged carefully crafted monthly social happy hours and dinner events at Nuri Steakhouse, Saaya, The Charlotte and Mar y Sol, to name a few.

The club tries to visit newly opened spots or hidden gems with unique offerings and works with restaurants to create tasting menus. "That's kind of how we pick them. We don't want them to have an experience they can get if they just booked on OpenTable or walked in off of the street," she says.

Howell believes connecting over food eases the atmosphere and is more pleasant and less forced.

"I think it definitely makes the experience more authentic. One of the things that we do at all of our events is we start every table off with a few appetizers," she says. "So, at first, it's like you sit down, you don't know anybody, and then you take that first bite and you're like, 'Oh, this is good!' The first thing you're going do is turn to the next person next to you and say, 'Did you try this?' And that starts the conversation, right? Versus like, 'what do I say first?' Or 'How do I start this?' You start by talking about what's in front of you."

Savor Her Success

DDS is hosting its first brunch and awards event this Saturday, March 22, to connect and honor dynamic women who significantly impact the food and beverage industry in the Dallas area. The Spring Awakening Brunch: Savor Her Success Awards is at Dolce Riviera and tickets are still available.

Attendees will indulge in a curated two-course brunch menu, sip on unlimited mimosas, support women's empowerment and get the chance to network with local professionals and socialites. The highlighted honorees are Marissa Allen (owner of Cookie Society), Rikki Kelly (founder of EGO Tequila) and Dominique Bryant-Howell (president of the Chris Howell Foundation).

Those looking to join DDS must apply for a membership or get an exclusive invitation. There are tiered membership options for different budgets and experiences, including the Savor Society ($50 a month), Connoisseur Circle ($125) and Culinary Elite ($275).

To RSVP for the Spring Awakening Brunch: Savor Her Success Award or to learn more about DDS' memberships, check out the website or contact [email protected].