We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Morgan Raum. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Morgan below.

Morgan, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My safta (grandmother in Hebrew) loved bringing people together around her dining room table. She was my window into Jewish culture—teaching me that friends and family are forever, music is life, and joy is everywhere if you look. Without her, there would be no Shabbat Club.

In her honor, Shabbat Club keeps the essence of family, joy, music, and connection at its core. We’re a culturally Jewish pop-up dinner-party series and community that brings young professionals together to celebrate Jewish culture in a modern way and feel proud of their Jewish heritage. We host sold-out Shabbat dinners, mixers, and holiday parties at Jewish-owned (or Jewish-inspired) restaurants in NYC, LA, and Miami. Each event drives real business to small restaurants and sparks new friendships and relationships.

Since launching in 2023, Shabbat Club has introduced more than 2,000 young adults to under-the-radar Jewish food spots, while my other platforms — @tooomuchfoood (350k+ followers), Substack “Friday Files” (7k subscribers), and consulting work for brands like Jewish Food Society — amplifies those businesses even further.

At its heart, Shabbat Club extends my safta’s open table to a new generation. We may not keep kosher or unplug our phones, but we prove there’s no single “right” way to be Jewish, and that building community, however it happens, is something to be proud of.

Morgan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a food content creator, community organizer, and founder of Shabbat Club. I’m based in New York City and passionate about connecting people through food, culture, and shared experience.

I started @ToooMuchFoood on Instagram when I was in high school, posting food and restaurant photos for fun. Over the years, that passion turned into a full-time career, with over 350,000 followers across platforms, brand partnerships with companies like Coca-Cola, Ray-Ban, Chase Sapphire, Uber Eats, and OpenTable, and consulting work with some of the most exciting food and hospitality startups. I helped found Lox Club (where I ran membership and social media), helped grow Beli (the fastest-growing restaurant discovery app), and now create content and strategy for Blackbird Labs (from the founder of Eater and Resy). I also freelance for Jewish Food Society and sat on the host committee for their Great Nosh food festival in June 2025.

In 2023, I launched Shabbat Club as a way to spend Friday nights with friends, and ended up creating a pop-up dinner series and cultural community that now spans NYC, LA, and Miami. Our events always sell out, and each one supports small, Jewish-owned or Jewish-inspired restaurants while creating space for people to celebrate Jewish culture in a modern, non-intimidating way.

Through content, events, and community building, I help brands and businesses connect with real people. and help people feel connected to each other. What sets my work apart is that everything I do is personal. Whether it’s a Shabbat dinner, a TikTok about a local bakery, or a marketing strategy for a restaurant tech company, my goal is the same: to tell great stories, build real relationships, and make people feel like they’re part of something.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

My favorite marketing story is from last July, when I hosted my very first Shabbat Club dinner in Los Angeles. At the time, I barely knew anyone in LA, but I needed to fill Canter’s Deli with 80 people for dinner.

I spent hours combing through the Instagram followers and tagged photos of every Jewish-related organization and event company in LA, personally messaging hundreds of people with the same line: “Hi __ this is Morgan! Someone sent us your name for our first LA Shabbat Club. Hope you can make it :)” I kept it intentionally vague yet personal, making each recipient feel uniquely chosen.

We sold 80 tickets easily, and the dinner sold out. I finally revealed to the group at the dinner that there was no mysterious referral, and it had just been me behind every message. Rather than feeling duped, people thought it was hilarious and said it inspired them to show up even though they didn’t all know someone attending previously.

This taught me a valuable lesson in marketing: authentic, personal connection, with a touch of mystery, can turn strangers into supporters.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe my reputation comes down to the personal touch and care I put into every single event. I spend hours thoughtfully curating each guest list, intentionally bringing together people whom we genuinely believe will connect. For singles events, we even partner with professional matchmakers and use an algorithm to enhance compatibility. Guests can tell we work hard on each guest list, and it’s that dedication and attention to detail that keeps people coming back and spreading the word.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shabbatclub.substack.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shabbatclub/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-raum-aa4a7011b/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/tooomuchfoood/

Image Credits

Hamantaschen photo taken by SHINDELVERSE / Alan Shindelman.