Dinners with a Difference - Freedom

Dinners with a Difference is a facilitated discussion over a meal that dips beneath the surface of everyday conversations.

Come solo or bring someone that you'd like to get to know better. 

This month's topic is FREEDOM.

Freedom is the ability to think, speak, and act in alignment with our true selves, unbound by fear, oppression, or limiting beliefs. It can be found in the vastness of open space, the courage to speak our truth, or the simple act of saying no. While freedom is often framed as an external condition, it also exists within us, shaped by our beliefs, fears, and willingness to embrace possibility. But what does it really mean to be free? And how do we reclaim freedom in a world that often seeks to define and limit us?

Freedom has profound effects on our wellbeing, relationships, and sense of self. It fuels creativity, nurtures resilience, and allows us to fully engage with life. Yet, it can also be daunting—choice can feel overwhelming, and stepping outside imposed limits requires courage. True freedom asks us to take responsibility for our lives, to navigate the tension between security and autonomy, and to challenge the internal and external forces that hold us back.

Some say the opposite of freedom is fear—when we are afraid, we shrink, conform, and hesitate to claim our full expression. Others see apathy as freedom’s greatest obstacle, where complacency and disconnection keep us from stepping into our power. This dinner invites you to reflect on the role of freedom in your life—where you experience it, where you long for it, and what it takes to cultivate it.

• What does freedom mean to you?
• How do we balance personal freedom with responsibility to others?
• What internal beliefs limit our sense of freedom?
• Can freedom exist without security?
• How do we create a culture that values and protects freedom for all?

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

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Your ticket includes a selection of entrees and mains, with dietary needs thoughtfully catered for. Drinks will be available for purchase on the night, ensuring a well rounded dining experience. To enrich the conversation, a prerequisite questionnaire will be emailed to attendees the week before the event. We kindly ask that you complete the short form prior to attending.

With the entire restaurant exclusively reserved for our dinner, we'll have the freedom to express ourselves authentically and engage in vibrant dialogue without hesitation. 

PLEASE NOTE: Our monthly dinners have moved to The Living Room, Keira St, Wollongong

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Feedback from previous dinner guests

"Great concept, with an excellent facilitator leading a group of strangers down unexpected paths. It’s a safe space for discussion of everything from the personal to the whimsical."

"Dive in and give it a go. So worthwhile, stimulating and full of insightful conversation."

"A great night where you get to eat delicious food with a diverse array of interesting people all open to deep conversations. As well as the deep thoughtful conversations, there are always loads of laughs."

"It’s an opportunity to drop your guard - the normalities of day to day, and any roles/responsibilities. It’s quite liberating to discuss meaningful topics as a (relatively) anonymous person and speak truthfully without a filter. How bloody refreshing!"

"Chatting with random strangers was really fun."

"An incredibly positive experience of new people and new ideas - without pressure to be anything but oneself."

"Gretel creates a safe and inclusive space where people can be seen and heard amongst a group of complete strangers! Conversation is gently guided with good humour with a nod to complexity and nuance. Dialogue is liberated and reinvented in a fun and casual atmosphere."

"So, those questions you have about the way the world is right now, and your place in it, and how you would like people you can share that with, and how you are feeling about all that? Bring all of it. That's what Dinners with a Difference is for."