Modern Families Sit Down to Eat Together Less Frequently Than Any Time in HistoryAnd according to Hazel Jackson, that's a problem. In her book, Lessons From the Dinner Table: My Journey in Food Service, Hazel explains how important the dinner table was when she was growing up, especially after her mother died when Hazel was young. When Hazel became a home economics teacher in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, she brought with her the conviction that she had to do everything she could to bring families together around the dinner table. Then her family opened King James Restaurant where they all had a chance to bring even more people together around food. Today, Hazel continues her food service ministry at her church, while she maintains and enjoys many relationships she developed as a school teacher and restaurant owner.