Welcome to Voices, where we sit down with the world’s top hoteliers, explorers, culinary tastemakers, and luxury lifestyle insiders to uncover what’s new, next, and noteworthy.

This week, we’re exploring why supper clubs have become one of experiential dining’s most exciting trends with Rachel Amiralian, owner of Amie, a women-only supper club in the Boston area. Rachel shares her thoughts on the resurgence of supper clubs, the inspiration behind Amie, and what it’s like to work alongside her husband, Gavin, the full-time chef at 80 Thoreau.

Together, the couple manages several ventures while raising their young children, with Rachel overseeing behind-the-scenes operations, social media, and community engagement. At the heart of it all is a shared passion for creating memorable experiences. “Everything we do is rooted in creating thoughtful experiences and genuine human connections,” Rachel says. She found time to answer our questions—and even tell us what’s for dinner.

How did you come up with the concept for Amie?

I honestly just woke up one morning and thought to myself, “I should start a ladies’ only supper club, women need/want this”. I didn’t know exactly what it was going to be, but my gut was telling me to do it, so I listened. I think the world has gotten a little weird— our society is more connected than ever, yet we all feel so disconnected. I wanted to create a safe place for women to show up unapologetically as themselves without having to be on.

Once I started, and Amie began to unfold, I realized Amie came from a personal place. As a mom of two young children, I realized how difficult it can be as an adult – especially for women – to make new friends or even consistently see the friends you already have. Everyone is busy, balancing work, family, and endless responsibilities, and social connections often become the first thing to fall off the list.

At the same time, I’ve always loved food and hospitality. I’m constantly wanting to try new restaurants and discover different dining experiences, but I realized a lot of women feel the same way and don’t always have someone to go with. Maybe their friends aren’t as adventurous with food, schedules don’t align, or they simply don’t want to walk into a restaurant or event alone.

I started thinking about how powerful small-group dining can be as a way to create genuine connection. Sharing a meal naturally breaks down barriers and makes conversation flow in a really authentic way. That’s where the idea for Amie came from – creating curated dinners and experiences where women can come together over great food and leave with real friendships.

And honestly, part of it was personal too – I wanted an excuse to get out more myself. What started as something I personally needed quickly became something I realized so many other women were looking for as well.

Why women-only?

Amie is intentionally a women-only community because we wanted to create a space where women can show up fully as themselves— without pressure, expectations, or the need to perform. Just a welcoming environment where women can connect, relax, and be authentically who they are.

Community is essential to our well-being, and especially for women. Research continues to show the powerful impact that female friendships and social connections have on our happiness, health, and overall quality of life. Yet so many women today are juggling countless responsibilities and spending much of their time caring for others.

Amie is a reminder that you deserve care, connection, and joy, too.

Every woman needs time to step away from her responsibilities, let her hair down, share a great meal, and spend time with other incredible women. Because when women feel supported, connected, and seen, everyone benefits— and life becomes a little richer in the process.

In a lot of social settings, especially around dining or networking, women often end up in environments where they’re still performing in some way – whether that’s managing conversation dynamics, feeling like they need to be “on,” or not fully relaxing into the experience. Amie was designed to remove that layer completely so the focus can be on genuine connection.

There’s also something really powerful about shared experience. Women come into Amie dinners from all different backgrounds, ages, and life stages, but there’s an immediate sense of ease when the room is intentionally centered around women. It creates space for more open conversation – about life, work, motherhood, ambition, friendships, everything – in a way that feels natural and unforced.

It’s also about access and encouragement. A lot of women tell us they want to try new restaurants, go to more dinners, or meet new people, but they don’t always have the right group or the confidence to do it alone. Amie removes that barrier. You can come solo, sit down at a table, and immediately be part of a shared experience.

What is the genesis of the moniker?

The name itself means “female friend” in French, which felt fitting because at its core, Amie is about connection. Yes, it’s for food lovers and people who enjoy discovering restaurants, but it’s also about building community in real life. In a world where so much interaction happens online, I think women are really craving intentional in-person experiences again.

Why are supper clubs seeing a resurgence?

I think supper clubs are seeing such a strong resurgence because people are craving real connection and more meaningful experiences. For a long time, especially after the pandemic, so much of our interaction became transactional or digital. People are spending more time online, working remotely, and communicating through screens, and there’s now a real desire to reconnect in person in a more intentional way.

Supper clubs offer something that traditional dining often doesn’t – a sense of community and discovery. You’re not just going out to eat; you’re sharing an experience with people, hearing their stories, trying something new together, and creating memories around the table. There’s something very human and comforting about that.

I also think people are increasingly prioritizing experiences over things. They want dinners that feel special, curated, and personal rather than just another reservation. Supper clubs create an atmosphere that feels intimate and authentic, whether it’s through thoughtful menus, unique venues, or the people sitting around the table.

For women especially, I think there’s a growing desire for spaces centered around connection and belonging. A lot of people are looking for opportunities to meet others organically without the pressure of networking events or dating apps. Food naturally creates conversation and lowers barriers, which makes supper clubs such an easy and welcoming way to build relationships. Food is art, culture, storytelling, etc. It’s transformative and a language we all have in common. 

At the end of the day, gathering around a table is one of the oldest forms of community we have, and I think people are rediscovering how important that really is.

Describe a modern supper club.

A modern supper club is really about blending hospitality, community, and experience into something that feels more personal and intentional than a traditional night out at a restaurant. It’s less about exclusivity and more about connection.

Today’s supper clubs can take many forms, but at their core, they bring people together around a shared meal and a shared experience. Sometimes that’s a multi-course dinner in a restaurant, sometimes it’s in a private home, a unique venue, or even outdoors. What makes it “modern” is the focus on curation – thoughtfully chosen guests, immersive themes, collaborative chefs, storytelling, and creating an atmosphere where strangers can genuinely connect.

I think modern supper clubs also reflect the way people want to socialize today. People are looking for experiences that feel intimate, authentic, and community-driven rather than overly formal or transactional. There’s often a strong focus on local food, creativity, and supporting independent restaurants and chefs.

For Amie specifically, the modern supper club is about making those experiences approachable and welcoming, especially for women who may want to meet new people, discover restaurants, or simply have a reason to step away from their daily routines. It’s hospitality with intention – using food as the catalyst for conversation, friendship, and memorable experiences.

Tell us a bit about the supper clubs you hosted recently.

We’ve had a really exciting spring season with Amie, and what’s been most rewarding is seeing how quickly these dinners have turned into genuine communities. Every event has had its own personality depending on the restaurant, cuisine, and women attending, but the common thread has been connection through food.

We also hosted our first official restaurant takeover at Nightshade Noodle Bar, which was a huge milestone for Amie. We welcomed nearly 30 women for a highly personalized nine-course tasting experience created alongside chef-owner Rachel Miller. Nightshade’s bold French and Vietnamese cuisine paired beautifully with the energy of the evening, and it really showcased what Amie is all about – turning a restaurant into a community-driven dining experience where strangers leave feeling like friends.

Since then, we’ve continued hosting dinners at some of the most celebrated restaurants in the Boston area, including Oleana, Sarma, 80 Thoreau, La Padrona, Bar Volpe, SRV, Celeste, and Sumiao Hunan Kitchen. Each dinner is intentionally kept at a manageable size so our members can actually engage with one another and feel comfortable participating in conversation.

What I love most is that the dinners attract women from all different backgrounds and life stages – some come alone, some bring a friend, some are longtime food lovers, and others are stepping outside of their comfort zone for the first time. By the end of the night, everyone feels like they know the stranger sitting next to them. That’s really the magic of it.

How do you enjoy collaborating with your husband?

I would never recommend working with your partner HAHA. For real, though. We do it because we have to— meaning, we are better together than apart, but it’s challenging for sure. The good 100% outweighs the bad, but I’d be lying if I said it was all sunshine and rainbows and easy peasy.

We bring very different strengths to the table that complement each other naturally. Gavin is incredibly talented as a chef and operates very intuitively in the kitchen. With Bon Ami, for example, he leads the entire culinary experience – curating a five-course tasting menu that is entirely seasonal, responsive, and often improvised based on what’s fresh and available. Nothing is overly rigid or pre-planned, which is part of what makes it so special. Every dinner feels alive and different.

My role is much more focused on the experience outside the kitchen – shaping the guest journey, building the community, managing communication, and making sure the energy of the evening feels intentional from start to finish. I think a lot about how people are welcomed, how the room feels, and how guests connect over the course of the night.

Bon Ami, in particular, really reflects how we work together. It’s a bi-monthly, invite-only tasting menu pop-up hosted at 80 Thoreau in Concord, designed to feel like a hybrid between a fine dining restaurant, a dinner party, and a supper club. The format is structured – five courses, optional wine pairing, a flat communal seating arrangement, and a 6:30 pm start time – but within that structure, there’s a lot of freedom and spontaneity.

We’ve found that our best collaborations happen when we trust each other’s lanes. Gavin focuses on creating something unexpected and memorable on the plate, and I focus on building the environment where that meal becomes a shared experience rather than just dinner. There’s a lot of respect in that balance, and it allows both of us to do what we love most while still building something together. 

At its core, working together feels less like “business collaboration” and more like building a shared language around hospitality – one that keeps evolving as we grow, both personally and professionally.

Tell us about your other projects.

How much time do you have? That’s the thing about being an entrepreneur. At least for me, I have 1,000 ideas in my head at all times, and I can’t turn them off. I wish I could, but I can’t. However, I’m forcing myself to only work on Bon Ami, Amie, and Fat Coffee right now. Fat Coffee is our signature coffee drink, which we serve at the end of Bon Ami. It comes with a tallow-fried donut. It’s basically the best latte you’ll ever have. I’ve done some pop-ups with this and have a pretty big vision for it I’m slowly working on— can’t share details yet though 🙂 

What is on the horizon for the future?

What’s on the horizon for Amie right now feels like a really exciting next chapter of growth – both in scale and in depth of experience.

One of the biggest developments is the launch of Amie Soirée Cambridge, a new seasonal chef-driven dining series hosted at top restaurants throughout Cambridge. These events are designed to feel more immersive and intentional, with themed evenings, curated tasting menus, wine pairings, and hospitality-led programming that goes beyond a traditional dinner. Each season will have its own identity – starting with “Seasons to Taste” in Summer 2026 on August 12, followed by “Fallow Kin” in Fall 2026, with additional seasonal programming planned for Winter 2026 and Spring 2027.

We’re also planning to expand Amie into new cities, including Providence, Rhode Island, and Portland, Maine, which feels like a natural evolution as we continue building community across New England.

This summer, we’re layering in larger experiential events that sit alongside our weekly dinners and give members even more ways to connect. That includes a collaborative “Boujee Picnic” event with Roe House on August 27, featuring caviar, champagne, flower picking, a watercolor artist, music, and curated picnic baskets – blending hospitality, creativity, and play in a really fun way.

At the core, our weekly dinner series continues across Greater Boston, with intimate gatherings at some of the region’s most beloved restaurants like Giulia, Avra Estiatorio, Alice, Monarch, Lenox Sophia, Maple & Ash, Dalia, Thistle & Leek, and Perch. These smaller dinners remain the heart of Amie, where the community really forms and grows week to week.

We’re also expanding our impact through volunteer programming, which has become an important part of what Amie stands for. Upcoming experiences include volunteering at Gaining Ground in Concord on June 27 and Community Servings in Jamaica Plain on July 27. These events bring members together not just socially, but around shared purpose and giving back to the local community.

And finally, a major milestone ahead is the launch of the Amie app in June 2026, which will transform our online space into something even more engaging, connected, and special for our members as we continue to expand throughout New England.

Overall, the future of Amie is really about deepening what we’ve already built – more cities, more experiences, and more meaningful ways for women to connect through food, community, and shared purpose.

What’s on the menu for dinner tonight?

Probably leftovers! We only cook a few nights a week because we’re super busy! Not to mention groceries are expensive. We happily eat the same thing multiple times a week to save money and not waste food. A typical dinner for us is honestly pretty boring— protein, starch, and a little veg.