For somebody who writes a food blog under the alias of the "resting chef", Danielle Coombs seems busier now than when she worked in restaurants full-time.

Since leaving full-time employment as a chef in a number of Bristol restaurants, Danielle has run cookery courses and a series of Come Dine With Me-style dinner parties for friends and fellow chefs.

These monthly get-togethers have led to the Bishopston Supper Club, a regular event where people turn up at her home to eat a seasonal menu created and cooked by Danielle.

The Bishopston Supper Club is one of several underground supper clubs to have popped up across Bristol over the past few months.

Others include The Montpelier Basement and The Blue Door Supper Club in Windmill Hill, both of which are fully booked every time they announce a new dinner date.

Likewise, the Bishopston Supper Club has quickly gained a good reputation and Danielle has no trouble filling the 12 places around her dining room table each month.

Supper clubs have been big news in London for a while and Bristol food lovers have embraced the idea.

For Danielle, it was a natural progression from working in restaurants and pubs for the past 12 years.

Self-taught, she worked at John's in Old Market before moving to Bocanova and Hotel du Vin & Bistro. Her last full-time job was as head chef at the H-Bar at Colston Hall – but then she fancied a change.

"I had a slight health issue and wanted to take it easier for a bit," she says.

"I have always been quite headstrong and independent, and never really liked working for other people, although I miss having the regular income. When I went freelance, I just wanted to do cookery lessons, but the Come Dine With Me-style dinner parties started as a bit of fun and sort of escalated from there."

Despite her shy, reserved nature, Danielle has always loved cooking for people and entertaining at home.

The supper clubs have enabled her to cook the sort of food she would cook for friends, and meet new people at the same time.

The menus for the Bishopston Supper Club are seasonal and Danielle uses local suppliers for the ingredients. Last month's menu included home-cured salmon with roast beetroot and horseradish ice cream, jugged hare with mashed root vegetables and kale, and cranberry and orange spotted dick with cardamom custard.

The menu for the next dinner on February 18 has yet to be finalised but dishes so far confirmed are red mullet escabeche with potato salad and milk-braised pork belly with Puy lentils.

Danielle hasn't needed to advertise the supper club other than through her blog and social media and the meals attract new people each time, as well as regulars.

"At first, I wasn't sure people would want to pay to come to my house to eat," she says.

"Before I started doing them, I did some research into other supper clubs and then got really excited about starting one myself.

"As I'm a chef by profession, I was a little worried about doing it as I thought it might be seen to be cheating as other people running supper clubs tend to be amateurs.

"I wasn't sure if it would work, but then I thought that being a professional chef, at least people could expect some OK food."

The supper clubs attract a diverse range of guests, many of whom are meeting people for the first time. Danielle says the events have become an important part of people's social calendar.

"It has attracted a quite random group of people. I only advertise it through my blog and Twitter so many of the people are connected through social media but may not have physically met each other until the supper club.

"Judging by the ones I have been to, some supper clubs attract very serious foodies and they are quite posh. The people who come to mine are a bit more chilled out like me.

"So far, the people who have come to my supper clubs have been supper-club virgins and many people come on their own.

"They have also attracted more women than men, which I'm not too surprised by as I know a lot of men who don't really like going to restaurants or aren't that interested in food – including my boyfriend.

"I have actually met people who have gone on blind dates at supper clubs. There is a lot of networking going on at these dinners and people form new friendships and contacts. It's very exciting and different.

"At first it was very scary to have strangers in my house but as soon as people arrive it's fine and people are really nice. I soon forget why I was nervous in the first place.

"Now, I try to come out of the kitchen and eat each course with the guests if I can, especially the main course."

With people still cutting back and trying to save money, supper clubs offer an affordable alternative to restaurants.

Danielle's supper clubs cost a "suggested donation" of £25 per person for four courses and guests bring their own wine. There aren't too many restaurants offering food of this quality for that price.

For Danielle, the supper clubs are the start of things to come as she hopes to eventually have her own restaurant.

"That was the plan when I left Colston Hall, but then we entered the financial crisis and it became too much of a risk.

"I think restaurants are having a particularly bad time of it at the moment. People are spending less and those who do eat out are looking for good value.

"I'm certainly less inclined to eat in restaurants these days and I'm looking for cheaper options like supper clubs.

"Supper clubs are a cross between a restaurant and a dinner party.

"In my experience, most of the people running supper clubs are cooking some incredible food – better than many restaurants – and they really want to please their guests.

"There are some really great amateur chefs in Bristol who should be doing it professionally or running their own restaurants.

"I've already heard of a few people starting their own supper clubs so I think there will be lots more.

"I think the supper club revolution is only just starting to take off in Bristol."

For more information about The Bishopston Supper Club, go to http: //restingchef.wordpress.com or email Danielle at frommykitchen 2010@gmail.com.