Are you Ready to Host?

Conversations, How-To Guides, The Little Black Book and more… now on Substack

You asked. We listened. And now we’re delivering…

We’re giving you a seat at Care of Chan’s table with inside access to our best event tips, party tricks, and the things that actually work, all delivered directly to your inbox.

It’s called Ready to Host. (Like Ready to Wear… but for parties. Get it?!)

Here’s a little secret: most events don’t fail because of budget. They fail because they lack a point of view. Sure, they look good on Instagram. The guest list is “great.” The food is fine. And yet, the moment you leave, you forget why you were there.

Care of Chan works differently. It’s in our name. We take care in how people gather, shaping experiences that feel considered and leave a lasting impression. We don’t just serve our clients, we take care of every guest in the room.

So, every Thursday, we’ll share what we — Care of Chan’s incredibly talented team and our best-in-class industry friends — have learned planning everything from intimate dinners to epic weddings, and from film premiere parties to influencer trips. Ever wonder, “How did they pull that off?!” Well, we’ll tell ya.

Paid subscribers will also get access to The Little Black Book (!!!), a personal collection of vetted vendors, places, shops, and resources.

If you’re wondering why you can trust us… I’m Sue Chan, founder of Care of Chan, a hospitality-driven event production agency that creates experiences that bring people together in real life (ideally, over delicious food).

Over the years, we’ve been called a lot of things: restaurant mavens, ringleaders, party planners, social chairs, community organizers. All accurate.

At our core, we help people connect.

I’ve been doing this since I was 8 years old, when I hosted my first “VIP experience,” a sleepover in Pasadena for my birthday party featuring corn dogs, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Cake, and elite-level programming for third graders (rollerblades and Jenga were involved).

Somewhere between then and now — after a 7-year stint at Momofuku, experiencing some of the world’s best examples of hospitality and dining, and a decade representing some of the top chefs, restaurants, and food brands — I realized I should probably just focus on what I’ve been training to do since I was 8 years old: bring people together.

Maybe it’s because I was an only child who moved around a lot as a kid, but building community has always been the through-line in my life. I grew up learning how to make a place for myself, over and over again. That instinct is what we bring to our work, helping brands (fashion, film, design, food, and beyond) create connection, not just attention.

While we could keep all of this knowledge and experience to ourselves… we’re not those kinds of people.

Think of Ready to Host as your field guide to gathering well: the ideas, vendors, frameworks, and small-but-mighty details that turn something from “mid” into something people remember and cherish.

Here’s what you can expect in your inbox:

• My musings on trends, culture, and what’s shaping how we gather with our monthly Social Studies, including a round-up of standout events around the world

• Conversations (and tips) with a Host in Residence, individuals who host exceptionally well, plus thoughtful conversation starters to try at your next dinner table or cocktail party

• How To offerings from talented vendors, giving step-by-step guides you’ll actually use, plus a monthly etiquette lesson

• A direct line to the Care of Chan team in our monthly Office Hours: you ask, we’ll answer

A great event isn’t about being perfect. It’s about gathering with purpose (shout out Priya Parker) and curating the right ingredients: the best venues, vendors, decor elements, and conversation starters. The more people gather, the better everything gets (and the studies prove it!). So this is us opening things up, getting vulnerable, a little raw, and hopefully, a bit profound.

Welcome. Pull up a chair!