I asked 20 people the same question...
If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be, where are you, what are you eating?
Since The Retreat’s inception, I’ve asked a lot of questions—but if you’re a snail mailer, you know there’s one in particular that tags along to (almost) every interview. It’s simple yet sacred, playful yet profound—and it always reveals more than expected:
If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be, where are you, and what are you eating?
Over the past two years, I’ve found that this question draws people back to their core values and into memory, desire, hunger, hope, and nostalgia. In a single answer, you get both history and fantasy. And more often than not, a craving. Not just for the meal, but for the connection.
Here are our past muses’ answers:
01. Lisa O’Connor of Radiance Matcha
My Mama, who passed away in 2003. We are in Greece watching the sunset, and eating fresh organic rotisserie chicken, lemon garlic potatoes, olives, and the crispiest green salad slathered in olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
02. MJ Renshaw of The Being Method and author of How to Cry
My brother, and we’re eating Tony’s Pizza off of White’s Road.
03. Gaby Azorsky of Gaby Azorsky Healing
I would have dinner with my Bubbe, Shirley. In her kitchen with her homemade matzo ball soup. I miss her so much <3 .
04. Dr. Ellen Vora, holistic psychologist and author of The Anatomy of Anxiety
Tough call between Jesus and Beyonce! We’re on a farm in Italy and we are feasting.
05. Christy Dawn Baskauskas, founder of Christy Dawn
The first person that comes to mind is my mom. I’d love to hear about all the things she's been up to on the other side! We talked at length when she was dying about what she was about to embark on, the signs she would send us and who she was looking forward to seeing… We’d be on her bed eating pizza and ice cream laughing and crying just where we left off.
06. Jasmine Nnenna, founder of Erah Society
Anandamayi Ma. She was such a physical beauty. I imagine we may not even be eating. Just sitting under a shaded tree. Listening to a nearby stream. There would be a nice breeze that greets us every now and then, and maybe I’d fall asleep on the grass.
07. Emmie Rae of The Daily Rest
My great grandfather. I never met him but he was an author and the first person to fly from Melbourne to Darwin in 1919.
I’d love to take him to a proper traditional Japanese dinner in the mountains of Japan and show him where the threads of his adventurous spirit have taken me. I would ask him a million questions about fear and courage and being the first to do something scary and new.
08. Tonya Papanikolov, founder of Rainbo Mushrooms & The Rainbo Podcast
The vision that came to mind was the Last Supper.
I would invite twelve generations of my ancestors to join me for a meal. We are eating along the Mediterranean Sea and actually, it’s a potluck! Everyone brings their favourite traditional dish. I will bring Pita Maznik which my grandmother taught me to make. A night we will all cherish for eternity.
09. Jordan Younger of The Balanced Blonde Soul on Fire Podcast
I would have to say Marilyn Monroe, at Chasen’s in Hollywood because it was one of her favorites. We would have to go for caviar and steak because it looks like it would have been amazing from that restaurant (definitely not a vegan anymore… lol). Marilyn will forever be one of my greatest icons, her intelligence was deeply underrated and I very much believe she is a fifth dimensional soul.
10. Ash Rucker, a true artist, movement director +
Alice Coltrane. We would be meditating, having dahl, talking about spirituality and the meaning of true bliss, transcendence and how to get there.
11. Aras Baskauskas, CEO of Christy Dawn
Ama, wherever she is and whatever she is serving.
12. Sierra McDaniel of The Subliminal Shift
I’m eating duck pasta with Emma Chamberlin and we’re on the floor with sheepskins. We’re discussing vogue things, the emotional journey of staining clothes, and remaining silly in a serious world.
13. Elizabeth Carter, founder of Honest Rituals
My daughter Penelope and there is this really sweet restaurant in Mallorca on the ocean and we’re there eating garlic shrimp.
14. Emily Rose Klein, founder of COLOURS
Rick Rubin, Joe Dispenza or Ram Dass in Kauai, fresh caught fish with coconut rice.
15. Vilda Gonzalez, chef
I’m not bringing anyone back from the dead, but in terms of alive people, it can’t just be one. It’s my mom, Josh, and all my homies. And for what we’re eating? I mean, it’s gotta be fish and potatoes.
16. Manouska Jeantus, founder of Nous Love Club
My dad—we’re in Haiti, and it feels safe to be there. It’s warm, and we’re having fritay, which is an assortment of fried meats and starches, and pikliz, which is a pickled sort of coleslaw, and we’re drinking a Prestige, which is a Haitian beer. Our conversation flows and flows, and the ocean stretches out before us, endless.
17. Kasia Stiggelbout, founder of InFlow & The Other Way Podcast
My mama. I'd take her to Japan (it's been her dream to visit). We'd eat sushi, and people watch. (P.S. My husband says he'd want to eat dinner with Jesus. His first question would be, "Are you the son of God?")
18. Dr. Sarah Viducic, TCM doctor + acupuncturist
This one is always hard for me! I honestly want to go to dinner with Larry David. He is just hilarious and I admire how unapologetically himself he is.
19. Elise Bradfute, artist
I’m with my grandma. We are sitting on a blanket eating something wonderful she made and we are talking about all the beautiful things blossoming in Spring, and things we remember from childhood.
20. You
I’m dying to know. Comment below and tell me…if you could have dinner with one person dead or alive, where are you, what are you eating?