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Tamara Reynolds    

Author, TV Host, Hospitality Expert, Founder of an Underground Supper Club

Tamara Reynolds inspires perfect strangers to make dinner a party. She empowers home cooks. Shy she is not. The former opera singer, self-taught home cook, natural storyteller, and family dinner vagabond has a mission: Show the world how much fun cooking great food and dining together can be. A former server in top NYC restaurants (run by the likes of Mario Batali, Gabrielle Hamilton, Sara Jenkins and Rocco Di Spirito), she became famous in her own right for her underground supper club “Sunday Night Dinner in Astoria,” where she started cooking for 20 lucky strangers at a time. Tamara shared the lessons in "Forking Fantastic! Put the Party Back in Dinner Party."

She’s been featured in "Jamie’s American Road Trip with Jamie Oliver" and "Food(ography) with Mo Rocca," has appeared on Daily Candy videos, and is a regular contributor to "Unique Eats" on the Cooking Channel. Tamara’s hour-long special, "Married with Dishes," aired on the Cooking Channel in Spring 2012.

Speech Topics


One Life, Many Careers: Follow Your Dream to Success

Your college major and your hobby could very well end up trading places, and that is fine! Tamara Reynolds was trained to sing operas, but now she cooks, travels, writes, and talks about food for a living. With humor and wit, she talks about how being well-rounded and fostering creativity benefits every aspect of your life. Tamara shows you how to transform your personal passion into a profession by leaping instead of stepping gingerly...and embracing serendipity.

My Restaurant, My Way: An Alternate Take on Hospitality

Years of working in the front-of-house at top New York City restaurants has taught Tamara Reynolds that customers may not always know what they want. Instead of allowing the customer to dictate the dining experience, Tamara has adopted the philosophy of “my house, my rules,” which allows her customers to become truly immersed in the entire experience by (gently) guiding them to “let go.” Tamara explains how and why, as a host, you should drive the car and allow your customer to relax and enjoy the backseat. Only when people truly trust and let go can they be open to transformative experiences that will stay with them for a lifetime.

My Butcher, My Baker...: Building a Old World Community in the New World

Tamara Reynolds treats her New York City neighborhood like an old Greek village: She knows her neighbors and has loyal relationships with all of her local shopkeepers. She charms her community by hosting the Sunday Night Dinner, inviting people from all walks of life to slow down, savor the experience of dining with friends and strangers -- and her amazing cooking. In this talk, Tamara illustrates how she has thrived both personally and professionally by cultivating these relationships and how she has laid the groundwork for a stronger community, one person at a time, in shops and at the table.

So You Want To Start Your Own Sunday Night Dinner?

Tamara has thrown her wildly popular gatherings in cities throughout the U.S. She sends out an email, and 20 lucky people get to spend $40 for the multi-course meal of a lifetime. Let her show you and your community how to do it yourself. It takes a little bit of planning – and a small dedicated band of friends -- but it’s an amazing way to build a community, and, just possibly, a business. (Can be combined with a food event, including a Sunday Night Dinner)

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