the first supper

who am i

my name is nico, and i’m a 20-year-old biomedical engineering student at rutgers university with a passion for adventure, philosophy, endocrinology, food, and athletics. most importantly, i follow my curiosity wherever it leads, no matter how unconventional or impractical it may seem.

a bit of backstory: i grew up in new jersey, moved to london, came back to jersey, and have been here ever since. along the way, i’ve interned at northrop grumman, become a personal trainer at equinox, researched psilocybin treatment for PTSD at columbia university, and cooked at a michelin-starred restaurant in belgium. i’ve also run pop-up restaurants, backpacked into the alpine wilderness of montana with nothing but a fishing rod, and traveled to costa rica with no plans on three days’ notice.

each experience has taught me one thing: the people you surround yourself with make all the difference. this dinner is my way of finding those people—the curious, driven, and adventurous minds who are just as excited about life as i am.

why i'm hosting

at a university of 40,000 people, you would think its easy to find interesting people. The sad truth: it is not at all.

it’s rare to find people who explore personal interests just for the love of it, without any external motives. the interest could be anything. i don’t care if you have the world’s largest butterfly collection or you’re working on machine learning with elon musk—just do something cool and do it well.

this supper is my way of bringing these people together—a space to connect, share ideas, and inspire one another. it’s a win-win: i get to cook for some of the most interesting and driven minds in the country, refining my skills and building my network. and you? you get to enjoy michelin-quality food, bold conversations, and build connections with fascinating, like-minded people from across the country.

what to expect

• the menu: 5-course fixed menu with bold flavors and creative pairings
• the drinks: a myriad of cocktails
• the company: 15-20 carefully selected participants
• the flow: intros over cocktails, a seated dinner, and fireside desserts
• the attire: formal but comfortable: no suit jackets required

more details