Harrison Malkin learned to cook from the Food Network and his mom. His parents would often come home to a new experimentation, like pecan crusted salmon or tortilla soup.

He relished in helping with family dinner parties and Passover feasts — understanding then the importance of run-and-gun culinary experiences and the community that can be built around them.

Twenty or so years later, that passion found a platform in HDC. Harrison was volunteering at a garden in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, working on the strawberry patch, when he heard about a group of “pirates” that loved to cook together and share their delicious food with the world. The first time he met chef Ben Walmer and his Highlands Dinner Club, or HDC, he was hooked. He loved the guys, their sense of collaboration and community, and that an HDC could happen anywhere and with anyone.

In 2024, after losing a job, Harrison was looking for an excuse to see and cook for friends. The idea wasn’t for anything formal or fancy — just great bites and fun. But with two best friends and eager collaborators, Zack Tobias and Clay Sosis, Harrison set out to take the idea to the next level. Harrison Dinner Club took off, and with each event, takes on a new life form.

At its core, HDC is about great food, and breaking bread with friends old and new.

That’s where you come in.