For the 140th interview, I got lunch with Bennett Rea, creator of the viral hit series Cookin’ With Congress. His show blends history, humor, and the occasional possum to recreate the eating habits of American politicians. Over steak sandwiches in Burbank, California, we talked about terrifying appetites, bizarre recipes, and…

“I’m a great talker,” Robert Factor told me when I invited him to lunch. “People love my stories.” He wasn’t kidding. For the 139th interview, I met the endearing actor and writer at Panda Inn in Glendale, California. Across a table of Chinese food, Robert shared tales from a life…

For the 138th dinner interview, I met Manu Raju, CNN’s chief congressional correspondent, at Pascual in D.C. We talked about covering Capitol Hill chaos, prepping for high-stakes interviews, breaking agenda-setting scoops, getting yelled at by politicians on live TV, and how he balances it all with family life. A generous,…

Brian Acosta Arya didn’t set out to become TikTok-famous — but his heartfelt, funny, and often emotional videos about life at his family’s New Jersey motel have struck a chord with more than a million followers. For the latest dinner with a stranger, we met over Korean barbecue to talk…

The 136th dinner interview is my meal with Doudgy “Dew” Charmant, a well-known Washington, D.C., artist. Painting in vibrant, warm colors with acrylics and oils, his works often focus on human expressions with startling depth — drawing the viewer in and keeping them engaged. His creations tell stories that can…

For more than 20 years, Dani Lubnitzki – better known as Dani Luv – has played the piano and cracked Borscht Belt-style jokes for his many fans at the much-loved New York restaurant Sammy’s Roumanian Steakhouse. In the 135th dinner interview, Dani shares tales from his past, all with a…

Let’s get physical with the 134th interview with a stranger — my meal with personal trainer Raine Storm McKeython. A (mostly) lifelong resident of Washington, D.C., Raine grew up with a love and natural talent for basketball, with childhood dreams of playing in the NBA. He carried this through to…

“Hi, I’m Joe Himali.” Spend any time on social media and you might be familiar with that greeting from Joe, a real estate agent in Washington, DC, who has found viral fame with his quirky videos sharing architectural secrets in the city and beyond. I met Joe in the District…

For the 132nd meal with a stranger, I met Naomi Paxton in London for an enjoyable brunch. She’s an academic, researcher, magician, performer and more, always on the move as she hustles for her various interests. It means she wears many hats, the most obvious being the literal colorful hats,…

After an almost five year hiatus, Dining With Strangers is back! For the two or three people still reading this site (thanks mum and dad), I’m glad to restart the dinner interviews. The site launched in 2008, and I met many strangers for meals, writing 130 profiles. When the pandemic…