ten years ago, Estefania (Chevy) Ruelob, journalist independentShe organized a dinner with friends without imagining that she was sowing a small revolution. That first table became a vibrant community, Women who eat, Which Today it brings together thousands of women all over Spain, from Madrid to Bilbao, Seville, Oviedo or Barcelona..
Chevy has reinvented networks Feminine through something as simple (and powerful) as sharing a table and a conversation. Their gourmet meetings, always with a waiting listshe conquered a generation of women looking for the same thing: Real connections, shared fun and a network where cooperation replaces competition.
What was it about that first table that made something so simple become a social movement?
Good question, because I really don’t know. The first dinner was born in an unexpected way: a Facebook photo. I went to see a friend, Veronica ZabalaAnd you uploaded a photo of us. The comments started right away: “I didn’t know you knew each other”, “I’m in”, “What a plan”.
Suddenly, I found myself organizing a dinner at Il Salotto, an Italian restaurant on Velazquez Street. Thirty women came. Three tables of ten. Thirty stories that were already connected without you knowing it. It was a natural thing, one of those nights that mark the beginning of everything without much planning.
At what point did you realize that what you had created was more than just a casual meeting?
I think it’s true success Women who eat It is in his nature. What started as a thirty-day dinner, in Madrid, It never drops below 150 participants. But the number is the least important. What matters is what happens around the table: Women who support each other, recommend each other, open doors and celebrate each other.
In a world that insists on saying that women compete, the opposite happens here: we come to have fun, laugh and communicate without poses or scripts. Just being a part of something adds up.
In a world that insists on saying that women compete, here the opposite happens: we have fun, laugh and communicate without poses or scripts.
In the digital age, you demand face-to-face communication. Why do you think we need to go back to the table, literally?
Because we are a generation that lived Boom Digital, but still appreciates unfiltered conversation, natural laughter, and a good table. Today, meeting friends or sharing wine has become a contemporary luxury, almost an act of resistance..
We live glued to our mobile phones, but it’s hard to look into each other’s eyes. This is why every meeting is special: between real brackets where time stops and The only thing that is urgent is conversation and company.
You have achieved something very difficult: creating a community without taking positions. What is the key?
Simplicity. In women who eat They all pay for their coverage. There are no secret callings or hierarchies. It doesn’t matter your position or last name: here the person comes before the business card. Everyone participates as much as they want. This generates uA free space, where originality is You don’t have to fake it: it’s just happening. Since it’s not your usual circle, a different honesty emerges. There are no roles to play or masks to maintain. You discover that what worries you also worries your neighbor. This shared honesty is what builds community..
It doesn’t matter your position or last name: here the person comes before the business card
What’s the most curious thing that happened at a women’s dinner party?
At a dinner party, the ex-wife and new partner of the same man meet, by chance… and end up having a toast together. Elsewhere, an assistant was looking for someone to run the announcements at the AVE stations. That night he sat right in front of her. Those magical coincidences always happen. Women who eat It is a crossroads where friendships, opportunities, projects and, above all, joy arise.
At a dinner party, the ex-wife and new partner of the same man meet, by chance… and end up having a toast together.
What did this project teach you about the power of femininity?
The energy and vision of women is amazing. And that myth that we get along poorly is false. Completely false. Women help each other, recommend each other, and lift each other up. When ego is excluded, sorority emerges naturally. No speeches, no labels. This just happens.
When ego is excluded, sorority emerges naturally
The Gourmet Innovative Project Award recognition comes at a time of maturity. What does it mean to you?
a lot. It was before and after. I’ve been doing this project on my own for almost a decade.. There were times when I thought about giving up, but there was always someone who pushed me to keep going.
That’s why this award means more than just a medal: it symbolizes perseverance, loyalty and passion for something that grows because it is made of truth.
It symbolizes perseverance, loyalty and passion for something that grows because it is made of truth.
How do you dream about the future of the project?
I want it to maintain its essence: closeness and truth. But also evolving towards a club format, with more activities and meetings. This tenth anniversary marked the beginning of a beautiful expansion: we went to Oviedo, Bilbao, Valladolid, Seville… and next year we will continue to add cities like Valencia or La Coruña. deep down, Women who eat It’s about that: traveling, meeting and celebrating the joy of being together.