Should the Government Regulate Paid Dinner Parties?

Part two in a four-part series on the sharing economy.

Ai is a master chef, and about twice a week, she and her boyfriend Matt host a group of strangers at their home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to enjoy a gourmet Japanese meal. Their guests find them through a website called EatWith, which makes it possible for diners to book a reservation, not in a restaurant, but in the home of a chef. Each guests pays Ai and Matt a fee of $41, and EatWith takes a 15 percent cut.'

But if these home restaurants become more common, New York City may start issuing fines that would force hosts like Matt and Ai out of business.