I created Mismatched Plates @ The Uncommon Table because I wanted to carve out a space where we could just… breathe. An intimate space where people can come together, meet one another, nourish their bodies, share their stories, and reset before the new work week begins.

For me, food is my way of loving. Cooking for people is my love language. It’s the way I say, “I see you. I hear you. I’ve got you.”

There is something powerful about sitting down at a table, breaking bread, and letting go for a few hours. Food has always been bigger than the meal itself, it carries memories, it brings whole cultures together, it builds bridges between strangers, and it creates moments of joy and laughter even when life feels heavy. Around food, we can celebrate, we can laugh, we can rest, and we can remind ourselves we’re not alone.

When you sit at this table, you’re not a job title, you’re not a role, you’re not your to-do list. Mismatched Plates isn’t just an event. It’s my way of giving back. It’s my way of saying, “Come as you are. Take off the mask. Sit with us.” The table won’t look perfect. The plates, forks, cups, and linens won’t match but that’s the beauty of it. Nothing matches, but everything makes sense. Just like us.

The name Mismatched Plates @ The Uncommon Table came to me in a way that felt almost like memory meeting vision.

I was looking back at photos from a Mother’s Day tea party I hosted in 2022. The theme was pure South Los Angeles in the 1990s, the kind of feeling you can’t fake. Knockers, long neon nails tapping against cups, oversized clothing hanging just right, blow pops tucked in cheeks, lip liner sharp with just the right amount of gloss. If you know, you know. That tea party wasn’t just about tea; it was about capturing an era, a culture, and a spirit.

When I created that table setting, I knew I didn’t want anything to match. That choice came from memories being at my grandmother’s house on 92nd and Vermont. At her table, nothing ever matched. The cups, the plates, the silverware, every piece told its own story. She had her “good set,” the ones tucked away for special company, never in easy reach. But day to day, we used whatever was in the cabinets, and together, those mismatched dishes carried the weight of our family meals, our laughter, our jonesing with cousins, and the conversations that filled the kitchen with life.

And as I looked back at those photos, it hit me: this was the spirit I wanted to carry forward. That feeling of gathering, of imperfection, of beauty in things not being the same. That’s when I said to myself: “Mismatched Plates at the Uncommon Table.”

From that moment, it was born.

Mismatched Plates @ The Uncommon Table isn’t about creating the “perfect” dinner, it’s about creating a space where you can show up exactly as you are. There’s no dress code, no performance, no expectation. You don’t have to come polished, you don’t have to come with a title. What we ask is that you come willing. Willing to talk openly, laugh freely, and enjoy the company of both familiar faces and new ones.

This series is for the people who need a Sunday reset; a few hours to pause before the week starts again. It’s a reminder that community, conversation, and nourishment are things we all deserve. It’s a celebration of food, culture, and story that welcomes everyone to the table. Fashion-forward or not, introvert or extrovert, first-timer or familiar friend, you belong here.

The series is connected to the heart of The Urban /Hōm,sted/ Farm. Out at the farm, we’ll be hosting community harvests and farm-to-table garden dinners using produce pulled straight from the land. Nothing is more grounding than eating food you’ve helped pick, surrounded by people who value togetherness as much as you do. But we’re also carrying this same energy into the city, the place where this creative idea was born. Because whether in the garden or in an urban setting, the mission is the same: to create spaces where nothing matches, yet everything makes sense.

If you’re looking for an experience that feeds both your body and your spirit, this table is for you. Come sit with us, share with us, and leave not just full, but filled.

It’s simple.

Sign up for the monthly newsletter. The event will be announced there first. You’ll also want to be following both @tuh_project (farm page) and @matriarch_of_vermont (business page). Space will be limited to 10-15 individuals per event so you will want to sign up as soon as it is listed.