The Return of the Dinner Party
Who doesn’t love a great dinner party? With vaccinations and boosters in arms, we are happy to report that dinner parties are happening once again! As November kicks off the season of holiday entertaining - Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day - we are devoting this Journal post to the delights of the dinner party.
Whether for business or pleasure, dining with a group of friends or colleagues enriches the mind, buoys the spirit, and tantalizes the tastebuds. We have written about the benefits of dining at home, and Dane’s recommendations around furnishings - comfortable chairs are a must!
CURATING THE GUESTLIST
A few weeks ago, Dane attended a dinner hosted by the new Minotti showroom, along with several of his interior design colleagues.
Any engaging, fun dinner party starts with a great guest list. Six to twelve guests are ideal but not a hard and fast rule. Knowing how to curate the list - the art of mixing people - results in the kind of dinner party your guests talk about for weeks, maybe months.
Even when creating business events, having a good mix of colleagues is important. Dane and his husband, Joshua, enjoy inviting guests who might not otherwise meet, mix, or get to know one another.
“Think of the guest list thoughtfully. Include people from diverse backgrounds and careers. Consider those who may be intrigued by one another rather than put-off,” says Dane. “Mix it up. Invite free-spirited artistic friends to mingle with the well-to-do, and everyone in between. People enjoy an evening when they feel as though they’ve learned something new, participated in enlivening conversation, and stepped outside of their regular circle of friends.”
CREATE AMBIANCE (Smell, Sight, Sound, Taste, Touch)
Fresh flowers and greenery add life and a pretty texture. Layer the lighting— from candlelight to table lamps, and dimmers on every fixture, so every person looks and feels their best. Standards, classics, and jazz music playing in the background bring a sense of nostalgia. Hors d'oeuvres strategically placed in locations other than the kitchen entice guests to venture into lovely layered rooms. All these moments combine to form the foundation of a lovely soiree. Dane’s most important ingredient: relaxed hosts. “When the hosts are relaxed, the guests can relax,” Dane says. Preparation is the key to a relaxed host. “Offering a beverage as soon as guests arrive helps put them at ease, giving them something to hold on to—a little social lubricant is helpful for some.”
Dane creates a timeline for his dinner parties (and before all events):
Four to six weeks: Send proper invitations
Two weeks: Create the menu, select and order wine & spirits
One week: Confirm guests, order floral arrangements and centerpieces/decor
Two days: Cook anything that can be prepared ahead of time
Day before: Dress the table
Day of: Final food preparations
Three hours: Arrange hors d'oeuvres and prep cocktails
Two hours: Get dressed (preferably in something fetching yet comfortable)
Hour before the event: Make last-minute adjustments, set the mood, and relax
Start of event: Remember, once the evening has begun, don’t fuss over anything any longer—it doesn’t matter—simply enjoy each other’s company.
THE MENU
“Avoid new dishes and go with something that you have some experience in preparing,” advises Dane. “We like to incorporate seasonal fresh vegetables and fruits.”
Dane loves creating a mix of cheese and charcuterie boards, meze platters, appetizer plates, and snack bowls, and he puts them in different areas of the house to move people around. Everything at room temperature will be tastier rather than straight out of the refrigerator, so Dane and Joshua aim to place items out ahead of time (which also frees them up to greet guests).
“We often invite guests to help toss the salad or slice up some veggies so they feel they had a hand in the meal,” Dane muses. “But once we sit down to the table we’re often there for hours.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
“We do ask our guests their vaccination status, and if someone is not vaccinated we make sure the other guests are okay with it,” Dane says. “And we’re mindful in the current situation because of the pandemic, we completely understand last-minute absences and changes to plans.”
Dane will let people know if it’s okay to bring a guest, but “though it’s preferable to know ahead of time because seating can be limited, we can often accommodate a last-minute addition with ease.”