5 Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party Everyone Will Love
As the nicer weather approaches, and the sun starts to make an appearance for longer than usual, it might put you in the right mood to host a dinner party with friends, or even family. But seeing as we have not long come out of Christmas, and January, the longest month of the year, seemingly, is a miserable time of year, you may have forgotten how to actually host a dinner party that isn't festive. So with that in mind, here are 5 tips for hosting a dinner party that everyone will love.
1. Think about the guest list
Think about who it is that you have invited. Do they have any dietary requirements? Do they have any allergies that you don't know about? Get to know that side of them if you don't already.
Secondly, you need to think about what the majority likes. Do they all love beef or would they prefer a pasta dish? Try and consider the majority, because it's difficult to cater for every single individual that's attending, whether you've invited two people or ten.
2. Cook tried & tested, people-pleasing dishes
A dinner party is not the time to try out something new. You want to make sure you're choosing a dish that the majority will love and that you're a dab-hand at. It's not worth risking trying something completely different, especially if you're inviting a considerable number of people over. This is something that's important as well if you don't feel completely confident in the kitchen.
3. Do some prep beforehand
It can be stressful cooking a more special-than-normal dinner, especially if you're cooking for a lot of people. As such, you need to make sure that you're prepared either the morning of or the night before.
Whether you cut up some vegetables or prepare a sauce for the finishing touch, preparing beforehand will save you so much time, stress and pressure on the day. You might even be able to make some side dishes the night before, just make sure you cover it all over and keep raw food away from cooked food.
4. Set the mood
Dinner parties are all about the ambience. You want people to arrive and immediately feel at home, but also to make them feel as though they've ventured out to a fancy dinner. Dim the lights, light some candles, get out the crystal and your best crockery. Essentially, pull out all of the stops, but make it feel cosy and warm, but sophisticated and elegant.
5. Give your guests something to do
Cooking dinner for a lot of people can be overwhelming for one person. No matter how much prep work you do, there will always be just a little bit too much work to do. As such, you want to give your guests something to do.
Whether you get them to pour out the wine or thicken the gravy, there are some tasks they can do that aren't too much to ask, but that also won't get them messy. Trust me, you'll be thankful for the help and your guests will be all too happy to come to your aid.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post, and that you found it somewhat useful? If you have any tips of your own about hosting a dinner party, let me know in the comments below and I will see you again very soon with a brand new blog post!
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