FESTIVAL 2026

The Table Where We Meet

by Jess Janz

HarperCollins Canada

FESTIVAL 2026

The Table Where We Meet

by Jess Janz

HarperCollins Canada

Synopsis

AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

We all want to be known. Most of us just don’t know how to begin.

When Jess Janz found herself craving deeper conversations—but trapped in a world of small talk—she took a leap. What started as a casual idea in a hair salon soon became Dinner With Strangers: a growing movement where guests gather around a table, introduce themselves without ever mentioning work and share who they are beyond a job title. No scripts, no expectations—just curiosity, courage and a seat at the table.

In The Table Where We Meet, Jess reflects on what she’s learned from hosting dinners with more than a thousand strangers across North America. In ways that are both tender and practical, she explores what it means to belong, how to ask better questions and why connection requires us to risk being truly seen. Alongside her insights are unforgettable stories—funny, heartbreaking, deeply human—that reveal how much we all have in common when we finally let our guard down.

This is a book for anyone who’s ever felt alone in a crowd, tired of surface-level chatter or unsure how to bridge the gap between isolation and intimacy. The Table Where We Meet is a guide, a memoir and a quiet revolution—one dinner at a time.

About the Author

Jess Janz is the best-selling author of The Table Where We Meet. She is a community facilitator and the creator of Dinner With Strangers, which brings people from different walks of life to share their stories over a meal - all while omitting what anyone does for work. Her work examines identity, connection, and what binds us all together. Jess has hosted events for Wealthsimple, lululemon, Altea Active Club, OpenTable, The W Hotel, Staub, and Writers Collective of Canada, and runs monthly writing workshops and Poetry Club for her writing community of over 70k people.

Read more about Jess Janz

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