Eat beat

A feast of stones

Eating alone was 24-year-old Jerome Hu's problem as well. He was keen to eat healthy food cooked at home, but living alone was not conducive to cooking.

"I was so excited that I had found someone having similar concerns with eating alone so I took part in the activity straightaway, which enabled me to meet people from different walks of life," says Jerome Hu, an analyst in a consulting company.

Hu adds that he feels more comfortable having dinner and chatting with people outside work, and it broadens his horizons.

Unlike most of the other guests, 29-year-old Ke Youzhen is so fond of cooking that she stepped into the kitchen instead of the dining room the first time she attended the event.

"I enjoy cooking, and seeing others eat my dishes with delighted smiles makes me feel satisfied and happy," Ke says.

At the moment, SweetSalt family dining room still maintains its tradition of inviting strangers to dinner two to three times a month. Those who have attended before won't be invited again for the weekly dinner.

"We are trying to make more new friends to keep SweetSalt family dining room as a place to start a social network," Rockid Hu says.