Ideal for showing off to your foodie friends.
Ever get the feeling that you should have just stayed at home? Indeed, sometimes attending a friend or family member’s dinner party can be an excruciating affair. The starters get burnt, the mains arrive raw, dessert ends up on the floor and you leave hungry and a little embarrassed for everyone involved, calling the nearest restaurant to see if they have a table.
Yep, for some, having people round for supper is a daunting affair. But for connoisseurs of all things culinary, throwing a dinner party can be a wonderful opportunity to show off not only your cooking skills, but also your exquisite taste in wine and even your way with words. If you fall in the latter camp and you relish the prospect of providing a restaurant-worthy experience to your guests, then read on; here are 7 tips for throwing a true gourmand’s dinner party, IDEAL for showing off to your foodie friends.
It’s All In The Preparation
As any professional chef will you tell you, a successfully run service hinges on the preparation. ‘Mis en place’ is a phrase that every chef should be familiar with and conversant in. This term refers to the meticulous, precise principles of kitchen organisation and food prep which rule a restaurant kitchen.
You should adopt the same principles at home, prior to (and during) your dinner party. Before your guests arrive, do endeavour to get the bulk of the prep work out of the way. In fact, you should design your whole menu in such a way that it only requires last minute searing, seasoning and plating, much like a restaurant service would.
Do all of your mincing, chopping, and slicing prior to cooking, so you can give the actual cooking part of the hosting your full and undivided attention when it needs it. Doing so will also give you time to host the dinner party with all that good grace and charisma which we know you have in spades.
And if you’re looking to truly impress those foodies friends of yours, perhaps drop ‘mis en place’ into the conversation….
Ensure The Menu Makes Sense
We’ve all seen that episode of Come Dine With Me or Dinner Date, where a well-meaning host serves a Thai starter followed by a roast dinner with chocolate filled tacos to finish. Or worse, three courses of chicken, including dessert! Honestly, there’s an episode…
To impress those foodie friends of yours and truly stake your claim of being the gourmand of the group, it’s essential you maintain some synergy between courses. This is most easily (and deliciously) realised by sticking to the cuisine of one country or even one region for the entire menu.
You should also strive for a balanced rhythm to your menu. If your starter is protein heavy, make sure that the main course is a little lighter. Should the dessert contain lashings of cream, the other courses should be less dependant on fat to carry flavour.
Finally, there’s nothing which will do your foodie credentials more damage than serving up ingredients which aren’t in season. Asparagus in Autumn, grouse in Spring, strawberries at Christmas…such choices will ring alarm bells with gourmands. Keep things seasonal and ideally, show off some fine local produce to really impress your guests.
Consider Exploring The Luxury Of A Private Chef
For those who truly want to indulge their guests in a culinary spectacle without the stress of cooking, why not book a private chef at home for the evening? A private chef can bring a level of sophistication and expertise to your dinner party that might be challenging to achieve on your own. They can work with you to create a bespoke menu that fits the theme and dietary preferences of your party, source the finest ingredients, and execute dishes with professional flair.
Moreover, a private chef can provide insightful stories about the dishes’ origins or the ingredients’ provenance, adding an educational and interactive element to the dining experience.
While this option adds to the cost, the value it brings in terms of the quality of food, the exclusivity of the experience, and the ability to relax and enjoy your own party cannot be overstated.
For a more casual affair, a healthy meal prep service can take a load off and allow you to focus on the hosting at hand, without the theatrics of having a chef in the house slicing, dicing, flambéing and the rest.
Select Special Wines To Match Each Course
Of course, being a card-carrying connoisseur of all things food isn’t only about the, erm, food. Drink, and in particular, wine, also plays a massive role. Knowing how to pair your wine with the food, as well as the correct temperature to serve it and even which glasses to use, are all complete catnip to foodies.
If you’re going all-out with a gourmet meal from starters to mains to desserts and cheeses, announce the arrival of each new course with a wine that will enhance its enjoyment. A dry white, whether still or sparkling, for example, will pair well with a seafood starter, a rich red with red-meats or spicy mains, and Moscato, with its distinct fruitiness plus a touch of sweetness, is the ideal companion if a cheese board is rounding off your meal.
Of course, no host worth their Maldon salt would only serve wine. Do offer non-alcoholic alternatives, too, chosen with the same care and attention to pairing that you gave to the wine. Now that’s hospitality.
‘Finishing’ Ingredients
We wouldn’t insult your intelligence by commanding you to buy the freshest ingredients you can find; that’s a given.
But we would like to draw attention to the particular importance of those finishing touches; the little sprinkling of magic which lifts a dish from good to great. On the refined palates of your foodie friends, such touches will be noticed.
A drizzle of premium, first press extra virgin olive oil can make a pasta dish, salad or soup sing, and the same goes for an artisan vinegar in a stew. It simply lightens everything up. Equally, whisking in a few cold cubes of butter into your meat jus (’monter au beurre’ in chef parlance) will give it an incomparable sheen. It’s these little flourishes which will reveal your deft touch at the stoves.
Curate A Sensory Experience With Ambience
The ambiance of your dinner party can be just as impactful as the food and wine served. Pay attention to the sensory details that create the perfect atmosphere. Soft, ambient lighting with candles or dimmable fixtures can set a warm, inviting mood. A thoughtfully curated playlist with background music that complements the theme of your cuisine can enhance the dining experience without overpowering conversation. Consider the table setting as part of the experience too; use fine china, cloth napkins, and fresh flowers to add a touch of elegance. Remember, a gourmand’s dinner party is a feast for all the senses, not just the palate.
Bookend The Feast & Finish With A Gift
In true restaurant style, you could also consider serving up an amuse-bouche at the beginning of the meal and a selection of petit fours at the end to truly bookend the meal in style. As we mentioned earlier, do ensure that these extra nibbles contribute to the meal as a whole, and utilise seasonal, local ingredients where possible.
To elevate your dinner party from great to unforgettable, add personalised touches that show your guests you’ve gone the extra mile. This could be as simple as hand-written place cards, a custom menu detailing the evening’s offerings, or a parting gift such as a small jar of homemade preserves or a sachet of herbs used in the evening’s dishes.
If you know your guests well, tailor aspects of the meal to their preferences or dietary requirements. These thoughtful gestures will not only impress but also make each guest feel truly special and considered.
And with our very own parting gift of that piece of advice, we’re off! Can we assume our invite’s in the post?
