How to throw a dinner party

Dinner parties are an equally effective way of introducing people to a new home, a new partner or new housemates. To older readers, they might still be reminiscent of Abigail’s Party, but a social gathering centred on an evening meal doesn’t have to involve Demis Roussos or cubed cheese and pineapple. In fact, a dinner party can be highly enjoyable for hosts and guests alike, providing it’s organised well – and organised well in advance…

Preparation is everything

If you’ve ever watched Come Dine With Me, you’ll know that preparation is crucial to keeping a dinner party on track. Start by specifying a day and arrival time you won’t have to reschedule, supplying clear directions to a new-build housing development – test these yourself, to ensure their accuracy. It’s acceptable to suggest one guest or couple brings wine, another person buys a dessert, and so on. This means the host has less to organise and pay for, while guests feel like they’ve made a contribution, and won’t arrive with something potentially inappropriate or allergy-triggering.

Speaking of allergies, check whether guests have any food-related requirements. There are numerous specialist diets nowadays – vegan, pescetarian, low fibre – while some people can’t or won’t eat specific ingredients. It’s usually easy to tweak recipes to cater for all tastes; having a dry run a few days prior to the party should resolve any unfamiliarity about cooking with gluten-free pasta or dairy substitutes.

Cook in advance, not during the party

A successful dinner party is a balancing act between entertaining and cooking, so spending all evening in the kitchen will effectively leave your guests to their own devices. If you’re making a home-made soup, blend and refrigerate it beforehand for easy reheating later. If you’re baking bread, give it time to cool and pre-slice it prior to serving. Combine the home-made and the shop-bought – nobody will mind spreading homemade pâté on bread from a local bakery, and no guest will expect you to have churned your own butter or brewed your own ale.

Draft up a list of ingredient/dish timings in advance, to ensure every course arrives piping hot (or suitably chilled). This reduces stress levels, which may become contagious if guests see you running around in a panic. It also frees up time to serve drinks, tidy up and chat to people between courses. Keep the table decoration minimalist, though candles are fine and napkins are recommended.

Keep things bland

Even if you’re a diehard fan of freeform jazz or heavy metal, stick to low-volume advert-free classical music in the background, and turn off TVs rather than simply muting them. Relocate anything which might cause embarrassment, such as cat litter trays or racy artwork, and (where possible) avoid contentious conversations about politics or economics. Dinner parties aren’t an opportunity to air grievances or fall out with strangers, which may sour the entire evening.

It’s fine to keep the wine or beer flowing (keep some non-alcoholic options in the fridge for teetotallers and designated drivers), but don’t be afraid to pivot to sparkling fruit juice or coffee if anyone is becoming too inebriated. Coffee before dessert used to be a hosting faux pas, but nowadays, it’s acceptable at any time – get milk and sugar in even if you don’t personally take them. Run the dishwasher before guests arrive to ensure all your crockery is clean, and consider a quick cycle midway through if you have a limited number of plates or mugs. Finally, tidy any bathrooms guests may use, and free up space for the inevitable accumulation of coats, shoes and bags.

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