A table with... Samantha Wolfson
Journal

A table with... Samantha Wolfson

by Pien Wekking

Welcome to Table Talks, our digital dinner table, where inspiring guests take a seat and we talk the way we would over dinner — about the journeys we’re on, the ideas that move us, and what it means to gather around a table.

Meet Samantha Wolfson, the woman behind & the Table — a global community built from one simple idea: Intentional dining that brings women together around a table. Eight years ago, when Sam moved to Amsterdam, she invited five women she’d never met to her home for dinner. That night sparked something for her; a sense of connection and possibility that’s now grown into over 200+ hosts in 9 countries. & the Table creates spaces where women can meet, share, and belong, proving that some of the best things in life really do start around a dinner table.

Previous
A weekend in Florence

Are you team dinner at the table or on the couch?

I’m team table when people are over. There’s something about sitting around a table that turns a meal into a memory. But during the week? Definitely team couch, a bowl of pasta, or whatever I pre-cooked for the week.

The table feels sacred to me. It’s where conversation stretches long after dessert, where candles burn low, and where you remember that food tastes different when shared. But the couch has its own intimacy too….the kind that says, “It’s been a day. Let’s just exhale.”

Are you team filled fridge or empty fridge?

Filled fridge. Filled pantry. Filled everything. I love the feeling of being able to cook something on a whim. You have friends over, and everyone wants late-night cookies. I want to be able to give them that. An empty fridge makes me feel like I’m in survival mode.

Are you the talker or the listener during dinner?

I used to be the talker,  no surprise there,  but I’ve learned to really listen. My mom always said, “You have two ears and one mouth for a reason.” I think I’ve finally grown into that advice. These days, I love drawing stories out of other people and ask really hard questions.

When you host hundreds of women around tables, you realize that listening is where the real connection happens. People don’t always need advice….they need space. And that moment when someone feels seen at your table? That’s worth more than being the loudest voice.

Who or what inspires you every day?

My hosts. The themes they come up with for their tables constantly blow me away, things I’d never think of myself. I feel like I’m getting a front-row seat to the inner lives of hundreds of women who are reimagining what connection looks like.

They remind me that vulnerability is its own kind of leadership. When a host creates a table around a topic like “Motherhood and Identity” or “StartingOver,” I see how courage ripples, one dinner, one conversation at a time. It’s endlessly inspiring.

What are 3 hosting/interior/cooking tips you always live by?

  1. Always cook more than you think you’ll need - leftovers are a love language.
  2. Never bring a gift that adds work for the host (no flowers that need arranging or a vase).
  3. Never, ever arrive early. Five to ten minutes past the requested time is perfection - it gives the host just enough time to light the candles and exhale.

What’s your go-to dish to impress without
stress?

Caramelized shallot and anchovy pasta. It’s rich, salty, and unapologetically simple. Tossed with parsley, served with a glass of white wine, and you’ve basically mesmerized your guests without trying. It’s one of those dishes that makes people think you’ve been cooking for hours when really, it’s 45 minutes (mostly just to carmelize the shallots) and good music. The smell alone feels like an invitation - cozy, confident, a little indulgent. It’s my edible version of “effortless.”

Belle Placemat - Set of 2
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Belle Placemat - Set of 2

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Stripes that set the mood. The Belle Placemat brings a playful mix of colour and...
Belle Tablecloth

Belle Tablecloth

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One can never have too many stripes. The Belle Tablecloth proves that once again. With...

What are your favorite Pien’s Tables items?

The Belle tablecloth. I’m in love with the combination of soft pink and deep maroon - it feels romantic and grounded all at once. The kind of color pairing that makes even a Tuesday feel like an occasion. I think linens are the quiet storytellers of a table. They hold the memories of every dinner before them. The Belle has this understated elegance that makes whatever you serve feel a little more special.

What do you like most about what you do?

Hearing the stories that unfold around the table. There’s a moment at every dinner when the conversation shifts from polite to real & you can feel it. I get to create the space for that moment to happen, and that feels very special. It reminds me why & the Table exists: not just to gather, but to connect in ways that last far beyond the night.

Pien always has a bottle of bubbles in the fridge. What was your last moment worth popping one open?

When one of our new hosts in New York texted me after her first dinner saying, “I finally found my women. We laughed, we cried & we can’t wait to be together again.” That’s the kind of moment that deserves a pop and a toast…. even if it’s just me and my dog in the kitchen. Celebration for me doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes it’s a quiet glass of bubbles for the invisible milestones, the moments that tell you you’re building something that matters.

Which song always sets the perfect mood at your table?

The first song of my dinner playlist is always “Nakamarra” by Hiatus Kaiyote featuring Q-Tip. It’s the sonic equivalent of pouring the first glass - smooth, warm, and full of possibility.

For me, music sets the emotional temperature of the night. That song reminds everyone (including me) to loosen their shoulders and lean in. From there, it’s usually a mix of Lianne La Havas, Erykah Badu, Masego and a few old-schoolsurprises that make people smile mid-bite.

And finally, what’s a dish you’ll never get bored of?

My morning eggs - two whole eggs, 200 grams of egg whites, whipped into a swirl omelet that took me months to perfect. Topped with crispy chili oil and served with cottage cheese on the side. I eat it every single morning and somehow, it still makes me happy.

It’s meditative. The same rhythm every day, the same pan, the same satisfying result. There’s something grounding about that kind of ritual. It’s a small daily reminder that consistency can be its own kind of creativity.