Jennifer Wiacek

Who: Jennifer Wiacek, creator of Twin Cities Supper Club, a group of twenty- and thirtysomethings who meet monthly. “Through events centered around good food and good fun, we introduce Twin Citians to each other and to our terrific independent restaurants,” says Wiacek.

Bright Idea: When Wiacek moved to the Twin Cities from San Francisco, she wanted a quick and fun way to introduce herself to the local restaurant scene and other young professionals. “When I started TCSC, my initial goal was to become more acclimated within the city,” Wiacek says. “Both in becoming more familiar with what it has to offer in terms of restaurants, as well as to expand my social circle.” Twin Cities Supper Club started out with a list of about thirty people (mostly her friends) and has since grown to include more than 750 area professionals.

Eating Locally: “Local restaurants were an absolute for me,” Wiacek says. “The best way to get the feel for a city is to go to those spots that haven’t been duplicated. Working with the various restaurateurs and owners has been great. Though some are confused by what I’m trying to do at first, they ultimately are eager for the chance to have our group in their restaurant. I negotiate a pretty good deal with the restaurants to keep within a reasonable price range and still make sure that my guests are able to experience a thorough representation of the restaurant’s offerings. So far, every event—at places like Salsa a La Salsa, Cue, Café Havana, and Babalu—has left us incredibly satisfied with both the food and the ambiance. Attendees constantly rave about their experience and guarantee they’ll return.”

Start Talking: Wiacek has also come up with some unique strategies to get people talking—seating arrangements and giving out the wrong name tags are two—but keeps it all casual, not cheesy or forced. “I want to open up cliques, expand groups of friends, and break down the silo of the city, but not make anyone feel uncomfortable,” says Wiacek.

More Info: Wiacek recently left her corporate finance job to pursue an MBA in marketing at the Carlson School of Management, but she will continue to host near monthly TCSC events. For information on upcoming events, checkout myspace.com/twincitiessupperclub or e-mail twincitiessupperclub@gmail.com.