Tuesday, November 18, 2025
By Annabel Taylor
At Georgetown University’s Eating Society (GUES), college traditions and club culture meet culinary adventure. The club was founded in 2016 by then Georgetown sophomores Alex Heintze and Brittany Arnett who bonded over their shared love of the D.C. food scene and trying new cuisines. Since its induction into the competitive range of Georgetown clubs, GUES has expanded to include more than 150 members and 10 board members.
A spot in the club is highly sought after, largely because of the many exciting restaurant events and culinary opportunities offered to members. Oftentimes, restaurant outings consist of menus exclusive to GUES members with the opportunity to speak directly with chefs and learn more about behind-the-scenes details of the food industry in Georgetown and the D.C. area at large.
Courtesy Georgetown University Eating Society.
Georgetown sophomore Jayan Shah learned about GUES through the university’s annual Counsel of Advisory Boards (CAB) Fair before taking part in the application and initiation process.
“Because of the comprehensive application process everyone in the club is genuinely passionate about trying new foods,” Shah said.
Since he joined GUES, Shah says he has grown closer with a wide variety of people through the club’s culinary excursions. One of his favorite GUES memories was a dinner at Spicy Water Africa Grill in D.C. where members had the chance to meet chef Duraine Koussai and learn about his background grilling in Côte d’Ivoire for his extended family. Members enjoyed a variety of authentic West African foods such as Ivorian grilled chicken, jollof rice and beef and shrimp kabobs.
Courtesy Georgetown University Eating Society.
GUES also frequents many local neighborhood spots, such as the Thai restaurant Rimtang. In February, a group of 12 “GUESties” attended the restaurant and spoke with Chef Saran Kannasute about the influence of his Bangkok upbringing on several of the dishes. Dishes were plated at the north, east, south and west sides of the plate to reflect Kannasute’s commitment to paying tribute to food from all over Thailand. GUES also stopped by Say Cheese in Georgetown in 2023, where they enjoyed a curated selection of grilled cheese sandwiches and soups on the patio.
GUES president Diego Tejada Castillo also discovered the club his freshman year at CAB fair. Coming from Oklahoma, he didn’t know anyone at Georgetown at the time and hadn’t made digital connections beforehand — he saw GUES as the perfect opportunity to find community through food. Tejada Castillo notes that GUES provides a social outlet for students among the many pre-professional oriented clubs at Georgetown.
Courtesy Georgetown University Eating Society.
“The work culture here can get pretty intense, and GUES offers a break from that by bringing people together from all sides of campus to break both social bubbles and the Georgetown bubble itself,” Tejada Castillo said.
The outreach team is responsible for planning restaurant events throughout D.C. by surveying members on their preferred cuisines and culinary interests. It then reaches out to a range of local management and event teams to coordinate specialized functions. Recently, GUES partnered with the Greek ice cream shop Yala, where seven members had the chance to meet the founder Chrys Kefalas and learn about the store’s backstory.
“We also love supporting new or lesser-known businesses in Georgetown, giving members a chance to discover new or hidden gems and share them with friends,” Tejada Castillo said.
Back on campus, the membership team oversees club events while the on-campus team hosts casual get-togethers like the welcome back brunch and cooking with a board member.
GUES emphasizes the importance of testing the boundaries of both one’s culinary and social comfort zones. A popular GUES tradition and Shah’s personal favorite is the frequent “Dinner with Seven Strangers.” Rather than signing up for restaurants with friends, the club sends a sign-up sheet on a first-come, first-served basis, encouraging a group of “strangers” to attend a restaurant event together.
Courtesy Georgetown University Eating Society.
“You get to know them super well over the course of the dinner,” Shah said. “While I originally thought something like that would be awkward, once you realize everyone else is in the same position, you get the chance to meet some really cool people.”
Another social highlight of the year is the annual formal which takes place in Capo Italian Deli’s speakeasy, where GUES members can select dishes from a personalized menu. The deli’s beverage director Rohit Malhotra is the creator of the Covid-era “Fauci Pouchy,” the widely popular cocktail pouch named after Dr. Anthony Fauci. In 2023, Malhotra spoke to GUES members about how the pouches helped the deli stay in business during the pandemic as well as build a legacy in the restaurant industry.
“Everyone gets to dress up, step outside the Georgetown bubble, and celebrate the friendships and memories everyone has made throughout the semester,” said Tejada Castillo of the formal.
While the club may be known for its host of weekly restaurant events and passionate foodie members, GUES’ outreach extends beyond student life. In 2024, the club collected leftover food from Leo O’Donovan Dining Hall for The Food Recovery Network to serve those in need. GUES has partnered with other non-profits such as Martha’s Table, which involved baking for those in need, and the Immaculate Conception Church, where they prepared food for weekly meal donations to the Fr. Mckenna Center in Northwest DC. In April, GUES held their first annual Benefit Gala in collaboration with the MSB Academic Council to raise money for DC Central Kitchen, a non-profit committed to addressing food insecurity throughout the D.C. area.
As GUES plans its next move — whether culinary, community-oriented, or rooted in advocacy — the club’s appetite for quality food and genuine company isn’t going anywhere.
“Through GUES, I’ve had the opportunity to meet people of all ages and backgrounds,” Tejada Castillo said. “There’s really nothing more fun or genuine than a good conversation over dinner.”