On November 8, 2025, The Dumpling Circle will host its first “test circle” at the Welcome to Chinatown space in New York City. The event is framed as “more than a cooking class,” with founder Yi comparing the experience to a “book club, but around your grandma’s dining table.”

From 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, attendees will learn to make Yi’s favorite Wagyu Beef and Chinese Chives dumplings. Tickets are on sale for $48 and include the three-hour dumpling-making experience, two seasonal Chinese appetizers, 10 handmade dumplings (which the participants will prepare themselves), and non-alcoholic drinks. Culinary tools will also be provided.

Attendees will make everything from scratch — even the dough. Yi recognizes that this may be challenging for some participants, and she emphasizes teamwork as a valuable part of the experience. It is Yi’s hope that new and old friends will help each other, even if someone’s dumpling “explodes.” During the event, Yi will share her family’s dumpling traditions and suggest food story prompts to encourage participants to share their own memories, sparking conversation.

The event at Welcome to Chinatown is just the first test circle, but future gatherings will also promote a “cultural, communal, slightly-chaotic-in-the-best-way culinary experience.” Each gathering will celebrate connection, storytelling, and the art of Chinese cuisine, from dumplings and wontons to spring rolls and scallion pancakes.

Yi hopes that she and her guests will cook together as a family, as she used to do in her now 97-year-old grandmother’s kitchen during on every important occasion. Despite speaking different dialects and celebrating different traditions, Yi’s diverse family came together to chop vegetables, knead dough, and fold dumplings. Each person had a role, and this dynamic fostered connection.

The Dumpling Circle seeks to recreate this human connection, carry on tradition, and honor Yi’s grandmother. If the model succeeds its first test on November 8 and the circle expands, there may be opportunities for Taiwanese suppliers to meet Yi’s demand for fresh ingredients and culinary equipment.