Yet another new way of dining but with a semi-aggressive mandate.

Toronto seems to be a haven for creative dinners of late. First there was Charlie’s Burgers, – the secret location traveling restaurant. Then Jamie’s Area held a series of artist dinners in their dank narrow Kensington basement. This was followed up blindly by Church Street’s O.Noir; go with whom you desire, but don’t expect to see them or your food.

Now what? Shall we start a restaurant where you have to eat in a jail cell? They’ve got one in Japan! Maybe a place where dogs and people can dine together? My next big venture. Umm – how about ‘must wear a wig while finger painting with your tomato sauce?’ Sure – why not?

Well, perhaps less kitschy, but with far more purpose, the L12 supper series is a weekly, invite only affair that rotates between Kultura and Le Germain’s Victor. Created by culture maker Marcello Cabezas, he describes his carefully chosen guests as “insight masters and the people who dream big.” With over 1400 Facebook friends and a resume that includes just about every mega committee one could be on in this city – Cabezas is truly the kind of guy that Malcolm Gladwell had in mind when he wowed the world with the term “connector” in his bestseller The Tipping Point. Any given day – whether walking to get a coffee or heading off to yoga (that’s a big lie, I never go)– I would no doubt run into someone that Cabezas knows. If we are all six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon – then I’m quite certain in Toronto we are all two degrees from Cabezas.

That said, the L12 is not some vanity project for Mr. Popular but rather a curated dinner party in which Cabezas picks twelve individuals from various walks of life to “form new relationships, brainstorm new ideas and make some magic.” This is achieved through playing musical chairs, and Cabezas insisting that we participate in an organized ‘get to know you game’ – specifically a deck of cards called Gravitas. Loaded questions aside, his talent lies in bringing together a mixed bag of professionals that seamlessly gel and compliment one another.

If you are chosen, you receive an e-mail twenty-four hours prior that provides you with an acute bio of the attendees. That way, when you arrive you can extend the conversation beyond, “Is this some kind of kinky key party?” – but don’t worry, we slid that in too. Although we were forced to answer questions like “When do you feel most alone?” or “What would you like your legacy to be?” – somehow conversation meandered into riveting talk surrounding mutual raccoon loathing, gym etiquette, S & M and the value of traveling abroad alone. Guests included entertainment lawyer Paul Bain, notable fashion stylist Amy Lu, Nuit Blanche Producer Natalie Roth, award-winning Television writer and director John Belbeck and eight other highly ambitious folk from varied fields.

My only complaint was that I mistook a hot-as-hell chili pepper for a tomato and had to not so discreetly upchuck it into my napkin. Aside from that rather humiliating incident – this was the most successful mixed bag I’ve ever attended. If you score an invite I highly recommend, but even more so if you are single – I think it could double as a rather sophisticated game of match-making.

Want more info? Think you qualify? You’ll have to find someone who knows Cabezas to forward a recommendation – but like I said, that shouldn’t be too difficult.