Hosting a dinner party can send some people trembling with fear. But follow a few simple rules and you will soon be tapping into your inner Martha Stewart.
Text by Jacqueline Yang, illustration by Tim Cheng
From the quality of the wine to the flow of conversation, no two dinner parties are ever quite the same. But there is one golden rule for those entertaining at home – create the right atmosphere. Hosts should treat their dinner party like a film director treats his set. And to do that you need to focus on where the action will take place – the dinner table. According to Lane Crawford lifestyle consultant Susanna Santi, it begins with the most important piece of equipment at a dinner party – the table itself. For those lucky enough to have a separate dining room, Santi says it is hard to go wrong with a large, heavy wooden table. Depending on the shape of the room, rectangular tables are most popular, but Santi recommends round tables for those who regularly throw get-togethers. “A round table encourages guests to speak to everyone, even if you’re on the other side of the table, you will be accessible,” she explains. “The problem with long rectangular or square tables is that you can only really talk to the person sitting next to you or across from you. If you want to speak to the person four seats down, you can’t.” Those with smaller apartments should look to investing in a glass table, as they are less noticeable and maximises what space you have.
Chair styles are entirely subjective, but comfort should be the number one priority. Restaurant manager Herve Dudognon of Mandarin Oriental’s Pierre says dinners can last for up to two to three hours and warns that if your guests start to fidget restlessly after an hour and a half, then that’s probably a sign that the seats need replacing. At Pierre, the seats are as plush as armchairs – soft and luxurious with silver ring-pulls at the back and wheels to allow the chairs to be moved as smoothly and easily as possible. Dudognon says comfort should not stop at the seating – the table should also allow guests to feel relaxed as well as looking beautiful. One trick is to place table molton – a thick padded material which is a cross between felt and Styrofoam – in between the table and linen. This acts as a soft cushion on which guests can rest their arms.
Then, of course, there is the linen to consider. Often a last-minute consideration, a set of high-quality white table linen should be a dinner party staple. When purchasing linen, it is important to look at the thickness of the material; too light or cheap and it can wear thin after a few washes. Dudognon recommends Le Jacquard Francais, Pierre’s current cloth of choice, for its stunning weaving and durability.
When laying linen on the table, spritz water on the cloth and flatten with a ruler to rid it of creases. Let it dry naturally – over- steaming or ironing the cloth will damage it.
How you arrange glassware, tableware and cutlery entirely depends on the number of guests you have and how much help is at hand. Managing everything yourself? Then it might be easier to lay out all the glassware and cutlery at once. But if you are after a less cluttered look, then it is best to set out the cutlery as each course arrives.
The more stylish the wares, the bigger impact they will make. Dudognon suggests Riedel glassware – placed so the brand name faces the guest, if you’re a stickler for consistency; pure silver Christofle and Ercuis cutlery with Laguiole steak knives; Raynaud, JL Coquet, and Bernardaud for fine crockery.
To avoid unsightly fingerprints, wear gloves when setting the table. Centrepieces can make or break a table. Keep it simple with a vase of flowers or set of pillar candles in various heights, or, if you are throwing a themed party, get creative. Santi suggests lining different sized clear vases overflowing with greenery and interspersing them with small tea light candles for a lush, tropical effect, or small flames in coloured glass tumblers to create deep amber or amethyst shades of light for added atmosphere. The trick with a centrepiece is to make sure it does not obstruct views across the table. Santi notes that if you are going with flowers, it’s best to pick varities such as lilies, tulips or daisies and use wide, short vases.
“I think lighting is equally as important,” says Santi. “I prefer dim lighting to create a more intimate atmosphere. Avoid using ceiling lights as it can look artificial, even with dimmers. The more candles the better, or, if you must, use floor lamps to better control the lit areas.”
To spruce up simple white-coloured crockery, Santi advises using placemats and napkin rings. For an urban minimalist feel, use black placemats and matching black napkin holders or create an exotic look with deep-gold metallic table chargers (flat circular underplates) and heavy bronze rings encrusted with jewels. But the dinner party does not stop there. There
is the seamless hospitality to think about.
As soon as guests arrive, a glass of champagne of or cocktails along with some nibbles to whet their appetite should be ready to go. Taryne Bell of caterers and food stylists Relish Catering says being a good host is all about the little touches: “If you know that someone particularly likes a certain tipple such as a particular brand of bubbly, then getting hold of that just for them can really make their evening.”
After all the guests have arrived, which should be within 30 minutes of the start time, head to the dinner table. Andrea Oschetti, the Italian private chef behind caterers Cuore Private Kitchen, says it is important to monitor your guests carefully to ensure the correct timing in between courses.
The appetiser should be served within five to 10 minutes to avoid growling stomachs. From there, Oschetti says, expect guests to finish each course in about 20 to 30 minutes, allowing no longer than 10 to 12 minutes in between each serving.
“When planning my menu,” explains Oschetti, “I try to surprise my guests. Food should be memorable and transport your guest to some place they have never been before, or remind them of somewhere they’ve been.
“For example, a guest of mine once told me that my homemade pasta reminded them of when they were last in Tuscany. The menu should be a journey of the imagination.” This is best done if you take a certain destination or time period as a theme.
Bell recalls one of the most unforgettable parties she threw for one of her clients was based on the 1989 film The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover about a restaurant owner who engages in a secret affair with a regular patron in between meals.
Her team created a large spread decadently decorated with candelabras and greenery. It was the quintessential winter feast; the food was simple with whole hams and Iberico loins, baby turkeys, roasted vegetables and oozing cheeses.
“In this case, the decor was elaborate and the food reasonably unpretentious,” Bell explains. “I think that if you want to do fussy food, sometimes it’s best to keep the decor simple. Let the food speak for itself.”
“And remember, whatever imaginable is achievable.”
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