No money trades hands at Wanda Chin’s (@wandertrail_) pop-up dinners. Instead, generosity is the currency; up to 15 attendees pay for their meal with gifts. “It’s a pay-it-forward-with-kindness type dinner,” says the 27-year-old Byron Bay, Australia, food photographer who announces her events using #aroundthatwandertrail. “To secure a seat in one of our events, they will need to contribute something to the next dinner: fresh produce, beautiful wine, killer venue, top-notch styling services.” Wanda then shares those gifts in her next gathering, with themes ranging from Spanish cuisine to desserts-only and venues that include warehouses, farms and private homes.
Her reciprocal dining idea is all about tapping into Australians’ hospitable nature. “We started these dinner parties because we wanted to share our love for hosting, entertaining and food,” she says. “Plus, we love to encourage people to bring the inherent kindness and generosity out of themselves. Idealistic? Maybe. But it’s inside everyone.”
Photo by @wandertrail_