The Idea
For two years I co-led The Conscious Table with EmmaLee Gough, a head chef, and Alyssa Edwards, an operations lead. We created a seasonal dinner for people who wouldn’t normally meet inside of their circles. Each evening was built around one Conscious Experience, which I designed: a short talk and a hands-on exercise that gets a room reflecting and sharing together, followed by a meal and a closing meditation. The goal was simple: help people connect past small talk.
Designed From Scratch
No two seasons repeated. One season, guests wrote down what makes connecting across difference hard, then found the commonalities hiding in their answers. Another, they wrote words from ego and words from love in four corners of the room, then turned a mantra into a keepsake. Another ended with letters on seed paper for guests to plant. Nine seasons, summer 2024 to summer 2026, each with its own original concept.
Run Like a Project
Every dinner was run like a small production. Each had a minute-by-minute run of show, a facilitation guide, a materials and logistics list, and a head chef and operations lead working from the same timeline. Guests got a welcome email ahead of time with a taste of the theme and what to expect. The three of us supported each other from marketing to cooking to planning, and I designed each Conscious Experience. Nine concepts, each planned and delivered from start to finish.
Avi Calhoun, Alyssa Edwards, EmmaLee Gough
What This Means for Your Team
The same approach works for leadership offsites, team retreats, and cross-department sessions: one clear idea, one or a series of exercisea people remember, and a structure that runs smoothly. If you’d like a version designed for your team, let’s talk.