| Martine Sicard |
| How to Plan the Perfect Dinner Party |
By Guy Bridge
There are many different aspects to think about and consider
when deciding to hold a dinner party, it's better to go through the
various stages with a notebook and pencil at hand to jot things
down. Who is the party for; is it family, friends, an informal
gathering of a group from work, or personal friends, or a dinner
party concerning work? These last questions make a difference
when organizing the party.
On deciding whom the dinner party is for, let people know probably
one week or two in advance. This will give time for any alternate
arrangements if anybody has to cancel, and also arrange the time,
say maybe 7:30pm for drinks before dinner at 8pm. Have a choice
of alcohol, non-alcoholic, and fruit drinks to choose from to suit all
tastes, and a few nibbles dotted around the room. This allows for
people to mingle, especially if a couple doesn’t really know the
other guests. Once all this has been achieved then the planning of
the menu can be addressed, it is well worth checking out if any of
the party has any food allergies, or if anybody is vegetarian, this
will save embarrassment during the evening.
Consider the planning of the table. Is there going to be a lovely
crisp white tablecloth, creating color with napkins, or place mats?
This is obviously the host's personal choice, depending on
whether this is a formal or informal party. Other choices for the
table may be some small candles, or small bowls of flowers, or a
centerpiece.
When holding a dinner party, the choice of food needs to be
addressed carefully. Don't try to cook a recipe you have never
used before. This only ends in disaster, plus a huge
embarrassment which nobody, the host or the guests want. If a
new recipe is chosen, try it out a few weeks before the party a
couple of times, till you are confident it will be all right on that night.
A great tip; sit down and plan the menu from start to finish jotting
down all the fresh ingredients you will need, checking the
cupboard to check that all the herbs you may use are in date,
even down to the wine you will be serving with the food, and
anything non-alcoholic for those who don't drink.
On the day of the dinner party, make sure to be up early for
anything that you have to go and get that you forgot on the list, or
fresh fish, meat, whatever the menu is. Check off items off your list
as you get them.
It's a good idea to have everything involving the menu written down
separate on a list, making it easier to keep track of things. If a
starter can be made and kept in the freezer till about half an hour
before the meal, then that is one course less to worry about, and
the same goes for the dessert.
Everything that can be prepared in advance leaves it a lot less
stressful for the host. Once all this has been taken care of, the
table checked, the host showered and dressed, you can sit back
calmly and wait for the guests to arrive.
One last tip; leave a new list in the kitchen pinned up and easy to
read, when collecting the starters, to have a quick glance at the list
to see what may need pulling out of the freezer, or putting into the
oven, and the party should flow nicely.
Good luck!
Guy Bridge is the owner of On The Table, a retail and online store selling Contemporary
Tableware from brands such as LSA Glassware, Robert Welch Cutlery and Alessi.
There are many different aspects to think about and consider
when deciding to hold a dinner party, it's better to go through the
various stages with a notebook and pencil at hand to jot things
down. Who is the party for; is it family, friends, an informal
gathering of a group from work, or personal friends, or a dinner
party concerning work? These last questions make a difference
when organizing the party.
On deciding whom the dinner party is for, let people know probably
one week or two in advance. This will give time for any alternate
arrangements if anybody has to cancel, and also arrange the time,
say maybe 7:30pm for drinks before dinner at 8pm. Have a choice
of alcohol, non-alcoholic, and fruit drinks to choose from to suit all
tastes, and a few nibbles dotted around the room. This allows for
people to mingle, especially if a couple doesn’t really know the
other guests. Once all this has been achieved then the planning of
the menu can be addressed, it is well worth checking out if any of
the party has any food allergies, or if anybody is vegetarian, this
will save embarrassment during the evening.
Consider the planning of the table. Is there going to be a lovely
crisp white tablecloth, creating color with napkins, or place mats?
This is obviously the host's personal choice, depending on
whether this is a formal or informal party. Other choices for the
table may be some small candles, or small bowls of flowers, or a
centerpiece.
When holding a dinner party, the choice of food needs to be
addressed carefully. Don't try to cook a recipe you have never
used before. This only ends in disaster, plus a huge
embarrassment which nobody, the host or the guests want. If a
new recipe is chosen, try it out a few weeks before the party a
couple of times, till you are confident it will be all right on that night.
A great tip; sit down and plan the menu from start to finish jotting
down all the fresh ingredients you will need, checking the
cupboard to check that all the herbs you may use are in date,
even down to the wine you will be serving with the food, and
anything non-alcoholic for those who don't drink.
On the day of the dinner party, make sure to be up early for
anything that you have to go and get that you forgot on the list, or
fresh fish, meat, whatever the menu is. Check off items off your list
as you get them.
It's a good idea to have everything involving the menu written down
separate on a list, making it easier to keep track of things. If a
starter can be made and kept in the freezer till about half an hour
before the meal, then that is one course less to worry about, and
the same goes for the dessert.
Everything that can be prepared in advance leaves it a lot less
stressful for the host. Once all this has been taken care of, the
table checked, the host showered and dressed, you can sit back
calmly and wait for the guests to arrive.
One last tip; leave a new list in the kitchen pinned up and easy to
read, when collecting the starters, to have a quick glance at the list
to see what may need pulling out of the freezer, or putting into the
oven, and the party should flow nicely.
Good luck!
Guy Bridge is the owner of On The Table, a retail and online store selling Contemporary
Tableware from brands such as LSA Glassware, Robert Welch Cutlery and Alessi.
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