Wellington's Tuesday dinners celebrates 'amazing collection of people' 25 years on

Every week, for 25 years, a group has eaten dinner together on a Tuesday.

What started accidentally in a Wellington home in 1999, is now hosted in kitchens across the city.

Tuesday Night Dinners is open to anyone, to share a meal, a glass of wine, and stimulating conversation.

People have met lifelong friends and even future spouses at the dinners, which marked their 25th anniversary this week.

"It was an accident. I joke that it's the most successful thing I haven't tried to do," Tuesday Night Dinners founder and organiser Mike Eastwood told Nights.

He could trace its early days back to dinners with his neighbour, which others have gradually joined.

"That was about 1304 dinners ago, plus or minus."

Cooking for others was his "love language", he said.

"For me that it is an act of service, it's an act of love, it's connection, it's creativity."

He mostly cook Italian food but plans to go back to fried noodles.

Looking back, Eastwood said he used to cook for whoever would turn up at his house, but over time others wanted to pitch in. So, he "kicked it out of home when it was barely a teenager".

Now the group meets at other people's homes, and occasionally restaurants or outdoor picnics.

"Fortunately, good people know good people."

Most weeks, somebody new joined in, he said.

"To see somebody wandering that I don't know, and people going, 'hey, who are you, what have you made?'. There's no ice breaking, no judgement. It's just welcome."

At the times when he could not make it, he recalls giving his house keys to a friend to host.

"It just keeps going, so I'd like to think it's bigger than me."

Who gets a seat at the table?

"There is no RSVP, just rock up. There are no rules.

"People rock in with everything, from something out of a restaurant or something they've whipped up in the kitchen that day or something out of a box or fish and chips from the local store. It doesn't actually matter."

It was all about the principle of contribution.

Eastwood said once a group of US backpackers showed up with a bag of rice. They tried to cook it twice, but then were asked to give it a rest because there was enough food for all.

"No idea if they've ever been back to New Zealand, but that would have shaped their view of New Zealand, that's for sure."

For one of the dinners, 100 people showed up. He had hired the city council hall.

He said 40 or 50 people at his place "wouldn't be unusual" for a special event. Typically, it's 10 to 20 people.

"We've had some stellar chefs come out and cook dinner in somebody else's kitchen. We've had phenomenal patisserie chefs, Michelin star chefs come up [and] just blow everyone away," Eastwood said.

Only once had he asked someone to leave, he said.

Being social

Social gatherings as such could be overwhelming, he agreed, but it was about expectations.

"If you go without expectations then you are entering with the mindset that is explorative and adventurous and engaging, and it just frees you up to go wherever."

The dinners have led to long-lasting friendships and even marriages.

"I think of one couple that got married, we had the pleasure of going to their wedding in Luxembourg. They met at a Tuesday. They were around for dinner on Saturday with their son."

While the group has held fundraisers for charities, the dinners are a "money free environment".

"No cash has changed hands at Tuesday and never will."

And getting to the big question of dishes, he said it was usually the host who was left with the mess, however, attendees did help sweep and wash up.

Interesting people, interesting food

Eastwood's friend Angie, who has been at most of the dinners, said the 25th anniversary celebrations impressed everyone.

She told Nights the dinners had evolved over time.

"It's amazing. It's an amazing collection of people."

The crowd also included people from jobs that Eastwood was working on.

"They bring all new interesting people all the time, interesting food as well."