How to host a dinner party

Picture this. You walk into a friend’s living room with the fireplace burning. The aroma of a delicious dinner cooking away wafts through the air. You hear soft music in the background accompanied by ambient kitchen sounds of clinking dishes and the water faucet being turned on and off. Can you remember the last time you experienced this feeling?

Social gatherings were a well accepted part of society for decades until the pandemic. Fast forward to 2024. Despite our electronically charged, post pandemic seclusion, dinner parties are on the rise.

That said, a lot of people feel anxious about hosting one. The pandemic gave us all permission to live secluded lives, and that was fine while it lasted, but we are craving human connection again on varying levels. Dinner parties are a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections over a scrumptious meal and good conversation in a relaxed home setting.

Hosting people for dinner can seem daunting, especially if you scour the internet for advice. You get everything from the most elaborate menu ideas, themed decor, and signature drink suggestions. While those things are great, many of us just want to get comfortable with hosting again. To not feel crippled by where to start and how to plan. In my experience, hosting a dinner party can be a lot of fun if you have a plan and keep it simple! Keep reading for all the details!

Keep a limited number of guests. If you are just starting to host, its always better to start with a smaller group of people. When deciding on how many people to invite, consider your budget and how many can sit comfortably around the table. Six to eight people is my maximum, I find that a group larger than that results in small groups having separate conversations simultaneously.

Dietary considerations. Ask your guests about food allergies or dietary restrictions so you can plan your menu accordingly.

Now, on to the food! My simple approach is two hors d’oeuvre or light appetizers, one main dish, two or three sides, and dessert. Lets get in to each one.

Light appetizers – These can be served at the table as part of the main meal or as a pre dinner snack, the choice is yours. I personally would not make these from scratch. Think handheld items like phyllo cups with a creamy dip spooned in to each one, crackers topped with cream cheese and pepper jelly, mini samosas, etc. You don’t want your guests to fill up on these, I would not do heavy apps like spring rolls, sliders. etc.

Main dish – I like making the main from scratch. If there are vegetarian guests, be sure to plan for a plant based alternative in addition to your meats. Example – a meat lasagna and a veggie lasagna. Veggie tacos – Serve sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, etc. in addition to taco meat. You get the idea. The main dish should be something hearty and delicious! You dont have to slave away, but please make a little effort, your guests deserve to feel special! Consider making and assembling it ahead of time and freezing or refrigerating it. Then pop it in to the oven before dinnertime.

Sides – One of my sides is almost always a salad. Buy a salad kit if you don’t have time (or the desire) to chop all the ingredients. While store-bought dressing works great, if you have the time, I recommend making a dressing from scratch, this can be done in advance. In addition to the salad, cooked vegetables are a good option. I often buy chopped veggies, all I have to do is put them on a sheet pan, toss with oil and desired seasonings, and roast in the oven. You can do mixed veggies like broccoli, carrots, etc. or just stick to one veggie. Try to pick sides with a few different colors to make the meal look visually appealing.

Dessert – This is the last bite your guests will enjoy, so try to make it memorable! In the warmer months, you can plan for recipes that don’t require cooking or baking. Examples would be macerated strawberries with fresh whipped cream, classic banana pudding, eclair cake, no bake cheesecake, etc. In the cooler months, I love baking something – bread pudding, various fruit crumbles, pies – warm from the oven paired with vanilla ice cream! Oh and cakes – sometimes nothing hits the spot quite like a slice of chocolate cake with a cup of hot coffee! Most desserts can be made (or assembled) in advance, I usually make dessert the day before.

Now that we have covered the food, lets get into prepping. The idea is not for your guests to be enjoying conversation separately while you slave away in the kitchen. The one or two days before your party are critical to do as much as you can. This could look like making and frosting a cake the day before, making a curry, assembling a casserole and freezing/refrigerating so its oven ready, peeling/chopping veggies and salad ingredients and storing appropriately, making the salad dressing. The night before, set out serving platters or dishes you want to use, and label them with a sticky note with the name of the dish that goes on it. Set the table – plates, bowls if needed, cups, silverware.

On dinner party day, your focus is on enjoying time with your guests because you already did all the hard work yesterday and/or the day before! Don’t forget about the ambiance – candles, fairy lights, flowers, and a killer playlist! Most importantly, your guests are here for you, so relax, be present in the moment with them. They won’t remember the color of your dinnerware or details about the menu. They will remember the warmth they felt around your table, the conversations and laughs that you all shared, and the treasure of feeling seen and loved, which is what hospitality is all about, human connection.