Cooking Up Conversation: Jade Paris of Sixth Seat Dining Club seeks community through restaurants

Jade Paris  is the founder of Sixth Seat Dining Club. Credit: Madisyn Hubbard

Name: Jade Paris
Age: 31
Hometown: Born in NYC, raised in San Antonio, returned a year and a half ago
Day job: Lab management supervisor

Current read: Blindness by José Saramago
Go-to dish: Salt-and-pepper shrimp from Best Quality Daughter

Favorite cocktail: Smoked dirty martini from Supper
Comfort movie: Inside Out
Dining spot you love: Pharm Table

Money Quote: “I care deeply about the stories behind restaurants. Every menu comes from someone’s personal story, and that enhances the dining experience. Watching the restaurant industry struggle through COVID was devastating — but it reminded me that every chef and restaurateur carries something they’re expressing through food. I love the way restaurants encourage community.”

Why did you want to start a supper club here?
I came from having a very vibrant community in LA, where food was a huge connector. It was how I built genuine friendships. When I moved back to San Antonio, I wanted to create that same sense of connection here.

Tell me about the dinners.
Our first dinner was this June. We cap it at six seats, which keeps it intimate — that’s one of the main draws. We want people to feel safe, supported and heard.

What’s surprised you the most?
It’s always amazing to see how willing guests are to be vulnerable with total strangers. Three of the groups from past dinners still hang out to this day.

How has this changed you personally?
I’ve survived brain surgery four times, so resilience has been a big part of my journey. When you believe in something, you fight for it. Hosting these dinners has changed me for the better.

What excites you about San Antonio’s dining scene right now?
Sixth Seat-wise — Moda Fare recently developed a custom menu for us, and I’m so excited about the upcoming dinners I have planned. On a broader note for the food and beverage industry here, there are so many exciting new concepts emerging. San Antonio sometimes gets labeled as a retirement city, but I think we have a great array of new and existing restaurants that are bringing big-city energy.

How do you match dinner guests?
We ask everyone a set of questions — things like, “What’s your culinary and table-side vibe?” We pair people who can bridge the gap between shared experiences and differences. So each dinner is a group of residents with shared interests but different life experiences.

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Cooking Up Conversation: Jade Paris of Sixth Seat Dining Club seeks community through restaurants

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