Thoughtful conversations over dinner.

Facilitated community dinners where we go deeper than small talk and connect across perspectives.

Everyone is welcome.

The world feels more divided than ever. We're losing the ability to truly listen, stay curious, and connect across our differences.

Dinners with a Difference exists to bring people back together.

Each month, we host a community dinner where people gather over a shared meal to talk about things that matter. We slow down, share perspectives, and practise the art of thoughtful conversation.

Because connection is a skill and good conversation is an art worth practising.

Upcoming Dinner

Thursday 24 July

Comfort is the experience of ease, safety, and relief.

It’s the soft landing after a hard day, the familiar rhythm of routine, the warmth of connection, or the absence of pain. At its best, comfort soothes and restores us. It allows space for healing, reflection, and deep rest.

But comfort is a paradox. It can be both nourishing and numbing. While it plays a vital role in our wellbeing, staying too long in comfort can leave us stagnant. It can keep us from taking risks, from growing, or from engaging more deeply with ourselves and others. So how do we find a healthy balance between seeking comfort and embracing discomfort?

We’re often told to “get outside our comfort zone,” and there’s truth in that. Many of life’s most meaningful shifts happen in moments of discomfort. But constant discomfort isn’t the answer either. A life of relentless challenge, without time to rest and replenish, can lead to burnout and disconnection. Discomfort may be a teacher, but comfort is what allows us to integrate the lessons.

So how do we hold both? How do we recognise when comfort is supporting us, and when it’s quietly holding us back?

Join us for a night of deep conversation, reflection, and connection.

Grab Your Ticket

About Your Host

Gretel Van-Lane facilitating Dinners with a Difference

Gretel Van Lane

I thrive on genuine connections and heartfelt conversations. That's why I founded Dinners with a Difference – to cultivate spaces where we can delve beyond the surface, guided by thoughtful facilitation. From fostering intimate dialogues to organising relaxed gatherings for singles, my mission is to ensure everyone leaves feeling nourished, acknowledged, and refreshed.

With over 15 years of experience as a facilitator and communications specialist, I've collaborated with purpose-driven organisations to spark engagement around social issues. My expertise lies in fostering connections, nurturing relationships, and bridging communities.

Outside of my professional endeavours, I've devoted my spare time to immersing myself in personal growth and embodiment practices. Crafting environments where individuals can authentically connect and truly be heard brings me immense joy.

To learn more about my other work, visit: www.gretelvanlane.com.au

What to Expect

Dinners with a Difference is a facilitated space where you’re encouraged to listen deeply, share openly, find shared meaning, and appreciate different perspectives. There are no experts. Everyone brings their own lived experience and insight.

About a week before the dinner, you’ll receive a short questionnaire (check your spam folder for a link to the Google Form if you don’t receive it). Your responses, along with those from the rest of the group, help shape the evening’s discussion.

We recommend arriving about 15 minutes early so you have time to check in, grab a drink from the bar, and settle in before we begin.

We kick things off at 6:00pm with a whole-group conversation, where your host, Gretel Van Lane, will introduce the theme, share some reflections, and read a few answers submitted by attendees to spark the discussion.

Then, you’ll move into small-group conversations (4–5 people per table) for Round 1, guided by a set of thought-provoking questions.

Halfway through the evening, we’ll come back together as a group to reflect, and anyone who feels moved to can share what came up in their small-group conversation.

After that, there’s a chance to switch tables for Round 2, where you'll receive a new set of questions to guide your next conversation. You're also welcome to stay where you are if that feels more comfortable. The questions are prompts – not a checklist – designed to help spark meaningful dialogue.

A selection of sharing plates will be served throughout the night. Dietary needs are happily catered for, and drinks can be purchased at the bar.

We’ll wrap up the facilitated part of the night by 9:00pm, but you’re welcome to stay longer. The restaurant stays open late, so feel free to keep chatting, order dessert, or grab another drink.

If you have any questions, just fill out the contact form below – we’d love to hear from you.

Join us for dinner!

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    Upcoming Topics

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    Testimonials

    • Everything was incredible! A truly great concept and execution of an event!

    • Gretel! You truly have a gift. The way you model courage in a really authentic way helps everyone in the room to be brave and also show up authentically. You are also really funny! I loved listening to you speak - it was entertaining and reassuring.

    • A rare opportunity to connect with warmth & curiosity without risk.

    • In the midst of adulting, when conversations can often either be surface-level or we just don’t have time to go much deeper, this format gave us a really well facilitated forum in which to dive-deep and build new connections in a unique way.

    • As a young Aussie guy, most of the conversations I have are surface level, sports-based, or just entirely sledging, which I love, but I don't really have the opportunity to philosophically explore topics or share meaningful (and related) anecdotes in a respectful forum where I could be challenged, encouraged and introspective, just for the sake of good conversation.

    • Such a great night. Main take away for me is there’s more discussion to be had and with different perspectives and experiences there’s more understanding and a lot more common ground than we think.

    • So many fun people to share with. Great listeners & questioners as well as talkers. We were only just getting started on the topic. Could have chatted for hours longer. Such disparate views. Wonderful!

    • I had such an amazing night and felt so safe, seen and heard. Love it and looking forward to the next one.

    • The dinner was warm, connecting, and very enjoyable. A place to share food and connect on a meaningful topic and experience a lovely diversity of knowledge and opinions.