The First Table

We didn't know what would happen when we set the first table. Palate began as a question: what if we created space for the kind of conversations that only happen when the right people share a meal? Not networking. Not pitching. Just genuine exchange between people who shape culture in their own ways. The first edition gathered friends of Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, actress and founder of Your Favourite Ancestor, who hosted the evening. Twelve people. Four courses. No agenda beyond being present with each other. And there's a reason we call it Palate. Between courses, you cleanse your palate, clearing space for the next flavor, the next experience. Between conversations, something similar happens. You pause. You reflect. You make room for a fresh perspective, an unexpected connection, a thought you hadn't considered. We made this literal. Adison dos Reis created soundscapes played through wireless headphones, offering moments of sonic pause between courses. Not background music, but intentional atmosphere. A way to reset, to transition, to truly cleanse the palate before the next exchange.

Between courses, you cleanse your palate. Between conversations, you make room for fresh perspectives.

That's what we felt throughout the evening. Someone would share a view on building a creative practice. Someone else would connect it to their experience in an entirely different field. The conversation would shift, not away from the original thought, but deeper into it. New dimensions revealed. Business bled into philosophy. Art connected to strategy. Personal stories illuminated professional challenges. This is what happens when you gather people who aren't all from the same industry, the same circle, the same worldview. The unexpected pairings create the most interesting flavors.Lobi

Palate is a Lobi experience, our term for the space where relationships begin, independent of any transaction or outcome. It's a play on words: it's the first space you encounter when gathering in a hotel. However, spelled differently, it's also the Surinamese word for love. We didn't gather to sell anything. We didn't gather to "get something" from each other. We gathered because we believe meaningful work comes from meaningful relationships, and meaningful relationships require time, attention, genuine curiosity and...love.

Some of the best connections stay in the Lobi forever. The conversation itself is the point.

Some of the best connections stay in the Lobi forever. They don't need to become projects or partnerships to have value. The conversation itself is the point. But when there is alignment, when there's a problem worth solving together, a vision worth building, that foundation of trust and understanding changes everything.

What We Learned

The first edition taught us that the format works. Not because of the food, though it was excellent. Not because of the venue, though the space held us well. Because of what happened between people. The conversations that continued after dinner. The messages exchanged in the days that followed. The sense that something had shifted, not dramatically, but meaningfully. New perspectives considered. New possibilities opened. That's what we were hoping for.

The Next Table

We're already thinking about the next Palate. Yootha will continue as our host, bringing her unique perspective and warmth to the table. Different guests. Same intention: to create space for the kind of exchange that happens when you slow down, share a meal, and pay attention to the people across from you.

The table is always being set for the next conversation.

If this sounds like something you'd want to be part of, whether as a guest or as someone who knows people we should meet, we'd love to hear from you. The table is always being set for the next conversation.