Teremana "Share the Table": 113 Strangers, One (Long) Table

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Many of us (myself included) get a little anxious at the thought of eating dinner with a stranger. Teremana Tequila flipped that idea on its head by inviting 113 strangers to come together in Los Angeles for an evening where food, drinks, and mana, the Polynesian belief in a spiritual life force that flows between people, were shared.

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To make the night unforgettable, I partnered with creative agency Wolfgang LA, the team at m ss ng p eces, and creative director Josh Nussbaum to transform an empty alleyway at The Row DTLA into a fully immersive tequila tasting experience designed to turn strangers into friends.

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The event featured a 150-foot-long communal table, a custom archway, a branded bar and bar cart, and the Mana Meter: an interactive sculpture where guests could “measure their mana.” We designed bespoke activities to surprise and delight guests throughout the evening, including a custom puzzle, a make-your-own margarita station, and hidden easter eggs scattered throughout the space. Guests enjoyed a four-course tasting menu, live entertainment, and a grand finale that made the evening feel both intimate and spectacular.

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Each guest left with a custom copper Teremana cocktail shaker, new friends, and lasting memories. The brand left with millions of social impressions and an enthusiastic wave of positive word-of-mouth carried by press and influencers. As Teremana’s largest marketing initiative to date, expectations were sky-high and the level of scrutiny from agency and client leadership was intense.

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The complexity behind the scenes matched the ambition of the experience. Securing permits and a venue for a large-scale alcohol event in Los Angeles County is a challenge on its own. Layer in a scratch-built set completed in a single day, food-and-cocktail pairings for 113 guests, and a precise service timeline that needed to sync perfectly with interactive elements and entertainment, and the level of coordination required was extraordinary.

Hundreds of custom games were fabricated and had to be distributed at exact moments in the evening, following a Run of Show timed to the minute. Every element had to work in harmony, from lighting cues to service pacing, while staying within budget and under intense public and internal scrutiny.

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As producer, I was the point person responsible for holding it all together. My role was to navigate complex permitting, oversee the build and fabrication, coordinate vendors and crew, and ensure every moving part stayed on track. This wasn’t just about logistics; it was about creating an environment where chaos behind the scenes never touched the guest experience. The result was a seamless, high-impact event where 113 strangers came together to share food, drinks, and mana — and Teremana achieved its most successful marketing activation to date.