Strangers to Friends - A New Year's resolution you'll actually enjoy.
Most startup networking events put you in a room with strangers and a badge on, hoping you’ll figure out what to say. This one puts a knife in your hand instead.
Strangers to Friends is a different kind of networking experience for people building things in Boston — founders, operators, investors, and others shaping the startup and tech ecosystem.
Our first dinner in October brought together 15 strangers who cooked a Georgian feast, shared stories over wine, and ended the night with a round of toasts. Since then, guests have arranged more than 10 follow-up meetings with each other.
As one guest put it: “I honestly forgot it was networking.”
So we're doing it again!
This time, we're bringing traditions from around the world into one kitchen to cook a New Year's feast and close out the year together.
We'll prepare the dishes as a group, with guidance along the way. No cooking experience needed — it's not a cooking class, though you'll probably learn a few things.
Then we'll open some wine, sit down around one table, and enjoy what we've made.
No panels. No pitches. No slides. Just good food, interesting people, and conversations that happen naturally when everyone's cooking together.
What to expect
Cook a New Year's feast inspired by traditions from around the world
Share a family-style dinner with the people you just cooked alongside
Meet around 16 founders, operators, investors, and builders from Boston's startup and tech community
Details
Tuesday, December 15, 2026 · 5:30 PM · VETTii Showroom, 526 Tremont St, Boston
$120/seat — all ingredients, wine, and a full New Year's dinner included
Seats are intentionally limited to keep it a table, not a room
At sign-up, you'll answer a quick allergy question, optionally opt in to LinkedIn-based match suggestions, and complete a short waiver (knives and stovetops are involved). It takes less than a minute.
Hosted by Marita Genebashvili, who has spent a decade building food businesses and founder communities across two continents, and whose kitchen is where many of her closest friendships in Boston began.