Dimly lit event space with a wall-mounted screen showing a Kinn promotional ad, DJ equipment cases below, and fresh flowers on a table.

It was another Wednesday and the babysitter had just arrived at the house to watch the little one for a few hours as I cover a private dinner for my homegirl Christy and super producer Yvonne. I knew the restaurant, Kinn Thai, location was somewhere downtown but I'll look on my way there. 11th and 26th. Okay, I'll take the A train down.

I just started reading Devon Rodriguez's Work in Progress. I pre-ordered but just found the mental space and time to read. His first few chapters have me in a very reflective place about my own journey in life. As I get off on 34th, I decide to walk a little extra instead of transferring to the local train. As I'm walking towards the west side, things are starting to seem really, really familiar and it hits me: this is the walk I would take constantly on my way to my mentor Eric Von Lockhart's photo studio. 526 W 26th St. All these memories are flashing back from 10 plus years. As I'm walking, I come across the park and football field which would be the home base for when I used to photograph New York Social Sports Club. It was my first consistent gig in photography. On this field alone, I would cover volleyball, soccer, flag football and occasionally kickball.

Titan payphone kiosk on a city sidewalk at sunset, with parked cars, bare trees and red brick buildings lining the street behind it.
Person standing on a green grass lawn in a city park with tall brick and glass buildings under a blue sky with clouds.
Man in a gray hoodie and glasses sits on a stool, hand on chin, studying a desktop computer in a dim industrial loft studio.



Long story short, being here led to meetin Johnny Nunez backstage at a Lox concert. Johnny has been a guiding light and mentor since day one, and still is. So as I'm walking towards the private dinner I'm about to cover, I'm just thinking about my journey over the years. Christy would be hosting this event with the Grammy award winning Estelle. I've crossed paths with her a few times over my years, the first was in the Hamptons, thanks to Johnny. I'll never forget that night, the 2nd Annual Fostering a Legacy benefit in the Hamptons in 2013 hosted by Ne-Yo and Kevin Hart. Johnny was one of the honorees that evening, and getting to see my mentor get his flowers publicly made the whole night special. I'm a few months into really pursuing this photography thing and hustling my ass off. It was so wild to see all the stars just chilling in a space like this. A few weeks later I would be back to see Estelle perform, this time with Rick Ross, Maxwell and Estelle would perform at the end of the evening. I'll save the photos for another time but I did find these images I shared to Facebook from my phone at the time. Crazy how technology has advanced in such a short time.

Performer in a dark suit and black SAINT cap singing into a microphone on stage under warm purple lighting.
Man in a gray blazer and white t-shirt speaks into a fuse news microphone at an outdoor red carpet event with guests in the background.
Female singer in a colorful geometric-patterned dress performs on stage with arms outstretched while singing into a microphone.
Female singer in a black top and patterned skirt performs on stage, singing into a microphone under blue and purple lights.
Bearded performer in sunglasses and a colorful floral shirt sings into a microphone on stage under bright blue concert lights.
Male singer in sunglasses and a gray double-breasted suit performs into a microphone on stage under vibrant blue concert lighting.

Back to the night at hand. I knew this was an intimate dinner with a small room of guests and our lovely host. But from my point of view, it was much more than just food and drinks. The guests were able to reap the benefits of the hard work but the real magic really happened behind closed doors and in the kitchen. That's where you really saw the title of the evening come to life. Different cultures. Shared flavors. One table.


Estelle and Christy come from two different backgrounds but in the kitchen, their styles complement each other. No wonder they are friends and decided to bring this to life. Besides them, it was their close friends doing what they can to help make the night a success, even when their plan was to just be a guest. It's a testament to their friendship.


Watching the magic in the back made this feel like a home-cooked meal, like getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner but with a commercial kitchen that reminds you of The Bear. Making sure all orders are in, rationing specific portions because things are getting low, all hands on deck, etc. It was special to just be in the room and be able to document the moments the guests would not see.


Then bouncing back to the actual dinner room, where the drinks and music and conversations were all top tier. I'm in the process of planning my own creative meetups. Something I did right before being a dad. And just looking back at the flyer, wow it was really 10 years ago, almost to the day of writing this. I wanted to do a small one this month but life happens. But as I'm in the room, I'm like this is exactly how I want my event to run and be. So it was a night of inspiration on a lot of different fronts and a reminder of how far on this journey of life I've gone. Especially when you get these moments that really bring back a flood of memories. Just like when you smell that distinct smell of food that just brings you back. That's what this evening was for me.

Kinn Thai restaurant counter with illuminated sign, pendant lamps, teal tiled front, and menu board in a warm, modern food hall setting.
Tattooed chef in a black apron and gloves slicing a golden baked dessert in a metal pan inside a busy commercial kitchen.
Two chefs prepare and plate food on white dishes lined up along a stainless steel counter in a busy commercial kitchen.
Two smiling women in black aprons raise cocktail glasses in a bustling commercial kitchen with stocked shelves and stainless steel counters.
Guests at a dimly lit restaurant table photograph a screen reading
Bearded bartender in a hat pours a pink cocktail from a shaker into two garnished glasses at a dimly lit bar with a bottle of water.
Two women in black outfits stand in a dim lounge as one speaks into a microphone, with a Different Cultures One Table banner glowing above.
A woman in a patterned outfit and green hat raises her hand while guests at a dimly lit restaurant booth look up and smile.
Two women talk across a stainless steel counter in a commercial kitchen, with white plates, food containers, and shelves in the background.
Restaurant worker in black uniform pins an order ticket to a rail in a busy kitchen, with stacked white bowls and plates on the counter.
Two women in a busy restaurant kitchen prepare food, one wearing a gray shirt and the other a black apron and green headband.
Four smiling women in stylish outfits pose together at a restaurant table set with menus, drinks and plates in a warmly lit dining room.
Three white plates of fresh papaya salad with shredded vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs served on cabbage leaves atop a metal serving tray.
Two white plates on a table, one with golden pan-seared dumplings in sauce and one with a twirled pasta dish with fresh herbs.
Woman with long dark hair photographs a plated appetizer with her phone at a candlelit restaurant table with guests and dishes nearby.
Four women gather around a commercial kitchen counter with plated dishes, preparing and sampling food together.
Tattooed woman with red hair speaks into a microphone while a woman in sunglasses and a man in black listen at an indoor event.
Woman in sunglasses and a colorful patterned jacket sings into a microphone at a lively bar while friends smile and laugh nearby.