Prioritising time with family and friends is so important, especially in our busy, fast-paced lives.
What better way to bring your loved ones together than to host a dinner party?
After all, food has the undeniable power of bringing people together! A memorable dinner party leaves a lasting impression and, done right, will have your guests remembering it for years to come. Here are some tips to help make your night a success!
Guest List
Before anything else you need to decide on your guest list. Do you have enough bench space? Do you have the right appliances? Is there space and easy access for more than one chef in the kitchen? Use your kitchen’s capabilities and functionality as a guide to inviting the perfect number of guests, then you can choose who you want to attend!
The guest list determines the amount of place settings, costs, all the dietary requirements and food preferences that need to be taken into consideration when choosing the menu and will set the tone for the entire gathering. Once you’ve determined who you want to attend your dinner party, send out an invite as far in advance as possible to give everyone the opportunity to fit it into their schedules.
Choose the Menu
Not everyone is a MasterChef in the kitchen, so don’t feel pressured to serve your guests restaurant quality dishes. If you want to manage the cooking yourself, stick to what you know and what works best in your kitchen. If you’re lacking in bench space don’t choose recipes that require a lot of preparation. If you have a double oven, use it to your advantage and have multiple dishes cooking or reheating at once. It’s a good rule of thumb to incorporate foods that can be cooked the night before, or the morning of to eliminate any stress on the evening of your party.
If you’re more about the company than the food – order in. This way you can order a range of dishes and only handle the set-up and clean-up, which gives you the rest of the evening to enjoy your company! Cook some, cheat some is our motto for entertaining. Experience the best of both of worlds by preparing a delicious home cooked meal and serving store bought snacks with desserts on the side.
First Impressions Count
With the added pressure of impressing guests, cleaning can quickly become the most stressful part of hosting. Tidy the areas that will be used most including lounge areas, the designated guest bathroom and your kitchen. Then, focus on decorating your space to really get your guests attention.
Set the table with decorations that match the tone of the evening. If it’s a formal party include fancy dinnerware, name cards and folded linen. If you want a lively aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with colourful napkins and flowers, a funky centre piece and glitter spread around the tablecloth! Why not light some candles to really set the atmosphere?
Beginning, Middle, End
The kitchen is hub of the home where guests naturally gather, and that’s great! However, if you’ve got a lot going on in the kitchen and want the space free make sure you have a designated area (separate from the kitchen) for your guests to mingle for the duration of the dinner preparations. Structuring the night like a movie with a beginning, middle and end with designated areas for each part, gives a fabulous flow to the party and keeps your guests entertained.
A good dinner party usually starts with some refreshments and nibbles in common space. Gathering your guests around the kitchen island gives you the opportunity to mingle while completing any last-minute tasks in the kitchen. Smelling the delicious aromas in the kitchen will get your guests even more excited for dinner! Dinner will take place at your impeccably set table. Once everyone has finished, move your guests to an area where they can relax comfortably while their food digests.
Make it Fun
A great theme ties any celebration together. If you’ve chosen a theme make sure it’s incorporated throughout – included in the menu, decorations and dress code.
Conversation cards are a great addition if you’re hosting guests that aren’t well acquainted, or they can be a catalyst for some great conversation with loved ones on topics you wouldn’t usually discuss.
A curated playlist can never go wrong. Choose songs you know your guests love and will put them in a good mood. During dinner, keep the volume low or play soft tunes in the background so you aren’t shouting at each other over the music.
Enjoy the Moment
The night is yours just as much as it is your guests’, so make sure you are enjoying every moment. You planned this night so you could spend time with loved ones, make sure you are doing just that. Don’t be distracted by a small mess, food presentation or things not going entirely to plan if it’s going to take away from the magic of the night. If you’re stressed, your guests will feel it. Take deep breaths when needed and relax – a house full of happy loved ones is the culmination of your hard work.
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This post was provided by Kitchen Craftsmen. To find out more, visit Kitchen Craftsmen or the showroom at Home Base.