by Liv Kessler, Photography by Liv Kessler
Throwing a good dinner is no easy affair. We’ve all been to those half assed “dinners” where you end up either eating guacamole from the jar or spaghetti bolognese with a small spoon. I’m not talking about that.
I’ve never been much for the clubs, the pre’s and the 4am head in the toilet bowl type of evenings. This is more my rhythm. I’m talking about the kind of dinner where you leave feeling a bit warm and fuzzy inside- and no, not because of the alcohol. The ones where you gather different people from your life that you always felt would get along but had never had a chance to meet. You wine and dine your friends and just have a good time. I’m a little biassed when it comes to most things. I like an air of glamour in my life, having friends over is no exception. To be completely honest, this isn’t really my rule book at all. It was given to me by my mother and her mother before her. Sure the rules change a little here and there, but overall, the core stays the same: people around a table, eating food and having a good time.
Here is a guidebook to throwing a good dinner party:
- Get flowers. It will make you seem very invested in the party even if you just threw it last minute.
- Three courses. Your dinner should at least have a main, salad and cheese and a dessert course. This may be the French person in me talking but can we forget the cheese and salad ??? I think not.
- Make sure you try and somewhat gender balance the affair. Look, I’m not against a girls night and a boys club but not at my party. Get out of your comfort zone, make it a little balanced.
- Assign seats at the dinner table. Ok, some may call me a control freak for this one and I accept. Dinner parties are just more fun when you are a little dictatorial. And yes, this does mean I always seat people in relationships away from each other because it’s fun.
- Always throw in a wild card to make things a little more entertaining. Your ex is in town ? Sure ! You don’t know if that girl in the 9am class is actually friendly or just sleep deprived ?? Time to find out ! Your friends are in an on-off relationship and have just gotten back together ? She should dump his ass, but not before your dinner!
These are the basics, at least for me. They make me the snob my friends know and love. At the end of the day, it’s about cooking for your friends and telling them you appreciate their company. So, do yourself a favour and throw a nice dinner party.
