Dinner With Strangers: Jess Janz On The Friends We Haven’t Met Yet

Episode 150

In a world where we’re more connected than ever—and lonelier than we’d like to admit—what if the answer isn’t finding the right people, but simply pulling up another chair?

This week, Jen sits down with writer, poet, and community-builder Jess Janz to talk about her beautiful new book, The Table Where We Meet, and the unlikely social experiment that grew into the phenomenon known as Dinner With Strangers. What began as a simple gathering around a table with a few curious questions has now welcomed more than a thousand people into conversations that move far beyond small talk and into the territory we all secretly long for: belonging.

Together, Jen and Jess explore why so many of us feel disconnected, what makes a question powerful enough to crack a person open, and how vulnerability creates the conditions for genuine connection. They discuss the courage it takes to gather people, the surprising magic that happens when strangers choose honesty, and why community is less about finding your people and more about becoming the kind of person who creates space for others.

Whether you’re craving deeper friendships, navigating loneliness, or simply wondering how to build a bigger table in your own life, this conversation is a hopeful reminder that meaningful connection is still possible—and it might be closer than you think.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The hidden costs of loneliness and our culture’s growing hunger for belonging
• Why “What’s your favorite movie?” might be the wrong icebreaker question—and what to ask instead
• What happens when one person chooses vulnerability first
• How gathering around a table can become an act of healing, resistance, and hope
• Why community isn’t something we stumble into—it’s something we create