Why these Angelenos are flocking to an 8-hour immersive dining and literary experience

In 2025, Kari Kolts was new to Los Angeles and looking to connect with like-minded readers. She stumbled upon a viral literary event on TikTok called Grain of Salt — an all-day reading event that concluded with a four-course meal tailored to complement the novel. Intrigued, Kolts saw that only one ticket remained.

“I said: Well, that’s my sign. I have to get it,” she said.

Soon, Kolts found herself in a dimly lit loft in Chinatown, reading a novel and debating it among new friends during the eight-hour event. She was elated. “Having something where you can sit down and be intellectual in a world that is increasingly anti-intellectual is a breath of fresh air,” Kolts said.

Grain of Salt was founded in August 2025 by Alexis Nguyen and her partner, Kai Nguyen. The couple was inspired to host an event that merges their interests. Alexis is an avid lifelong reader, and Kai works part time as a private chef. The resulting event is an eight-hour immersive literary and culinary experience.

“Since their passion is cooking and food, and my passion is reading, we always wanted to do something that would incorporate both of those things,” says Alexis. The couple had previously hosted book clubs in their home, where Kai prepared an elaborate literary-themed dinner.

Last summer, the couple officially launched the Grain of Salt reading series. The first event — centered on “It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over” by Anne De Marcken — was an overwhelming success. “It’s been so successful thus far, and we’ve sold out all of our events. It’s been such a great experience,” says Alexis. “Our last event that we launched a couple of days ago sold out in 30 minutes.”

The union of literature and food comes organically, Kai explains. Last summer, the first event was held during fruit season. “It played into that theme with the book really well. We made a plum Tuna crudo,” says Kai. “It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over” centers on a wayward traveler in a post-apocalyptic, decaying landscape. “For all of the meals that I cook, I source all the ingredients from the farmers market and great purveyors who are focused on sustainability and regenerative farming.”

At the most recent Grain of Salt event, dozens of women gather and discuss Simone de Beauvoir’s “Inseparable.” A giant Japanese lantern floats above them like an orb. Some readers sit outside, in the Chinatown alley with novels in their lap. Chinese lanterns hover above their heads like red halos. In the kitchen, Kai rolls out dough for buckwheat brioche bread paired with herb butter.

The event runs from noon to 8 p.m., with breaks for lunch and discussion. Participants can read aloud with a group or independently.

“People come together to read out loud and talk about it. Or you can go off and have your own independent time,” says Kai. “It’s important that the space feels like you’re moving around, not stuck in one place the whole time.”

For one participant, Monica Estrada, the full-day commitment is part of the allure. “If you go to an event that you know is eight hours long, and other people are down for that? I’m going to like those people. They probably love reading.”

Estrada has been pleasantly surprised by how the event naturally lends itself to socializing. “I typically think of a book club as you sit and read. Here, there’s constant movement. They’re reshaping the way I think about reading and how it can be a community,” she says.

The discussions are lively and spirited. “Everyone kind of brings their own perspective into the conversation. I’m a huge reader, but I still learned so much by hearing what other people have to say about it,” says Alexis Nguyen.

In the loft upstairs, the group breaks into convivial chatter about the novel.

“I wish we got more of Andrée’s perspective,” remarks one reader, Hannah Faust. The group hums in agreement, offering dispatches from their own lives about thorny friendships.

The group mentions other romantic novels they adore. “ ‘Sunburn’: It’s a really beautiful book,” adds Alyssah Nevarez about another sapphic novel. “Best lesbian book ever!” exclaims Alexis of Chloe Michelle Howarth’s 2023 work.
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Geneva Faye, who has attended past events, says the discussions keep her returning.

“Last year, I really made a commitment to myself to find more community,” says Faye. “We all very much align, even though a lot of us are so different. We bring different things to the table. It has been so fun to dissect a book. I don’t get to do that very often.”

Novels selected for Grain of Salt events are carefully curated by Alexis, who focuses on female protagonists and queer literature. “It’s hard to find other people who are reading niche kind of books. That’s also been really great: to engage in literature about things that I personally enjoy, and finding other people who enjoy that,” she says.

For Kai Nguyen, left, Grain of Salt is a creative outlet that merges a passion for cooking with their partner/co-founder’s love for reading.

Geneva Faye appreciates the literary curation and is delighted by today’s choice of Simone de Beauvoir. “Simone is classic feminist literature. She’s an icon for many reasons,” says Faye. “The book so far is about female friendship, but also very much how we compare ourselves to the females around us through our friendships.”

For dinner, Kai has prepared a dry-brined duck breast with a red wine reduction, a meal that is mentioned in the novel. (“Duck breast cooked in wine sauce…you had to taste it all and compliment everything so you didn’t offend anyone.”) The candle-lit meal is followed by a decadent salted chocolate mousse, espresso and Luxardo cherry.

Preparing the dinner is intensive but gratifying. “It’s been an amazing way to exercise my creativity,” Kai explains.

Ultimately, Kai hopes Grain of Salt will help members forge new friendships. The reading event has spurred new bonds from literary discussions — members exchange Instagram handles and invitations to parties. “You can kind of feel people’s anxiety dissipating throughout the day,” Kai says, “so that by the time it’s dinner, everyone’s super comfortable with each other.”

Connors is a writer living in Los Angeles. She hosts the literary reading event Unreliable Narrators at Nico’s Wines in Atwater Village every month.

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: latimes.com