How to Soften Corners

This small book from Ireland is a charming, thoughtful exploration of how hospitality develops. We think author and editor Jennie Moran explains it very, very well:

How To Soften Corners is a friendly, poetic guide to welcoming people. It is an invitation to view hospitality not as an industry, but as a gorgeous philosophical miracle. 

It is intended for individuals and organisations who bring humans together and value opportunities for shared connection. It has been designed collaboratively with students from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and contains recipes for some of our best loved offerings. 

It tells the story of an art project/college canteen called Luncheonette which operated at the NCAD in Dublin from 2013-2021. Beautiful, unexpected things happened here over the course of these 8 years which had a profound effect on the communities involved.

A new culture of conviviality was formed in the college. Lecturers and students shared tables. Families and friends were invited to lunch. Students put their precious family recipes on the menu. 

Over time, the college became a food destination and was awarded best café in Ireland. In a college strategic review, it was revealed by staff that Luncheonette was the space in which most of the ideas they felt most proud of had originated. 

After closing Luncheonette in NCAD, it dawned on us that these outcomes were extraordinary. This conscious hospitality is powerful stuff. There was an urgency to understand how and why it worked so well so that this information could be helpful to others.

Paperback. Color photographs and black-and-white drawings throughout. 144 pages.

An in-depth case study and dissertation on Luncheonette was conducted (available here for extra-curious folks!).