When Sarah Bellinger, a Gen Z public relations executive, decided to throw her first , she invited just five friends and served her go-to : a creamy Tuscan chicken pasta.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 nervous, because it was just a small group of my closest friends, but I was definitely very excited. It felt like the most adult thing I did all month," said Bellinger, who lives in East Hartford, Connecticut.
The evening was a success, she says, and the cooking was easy, though there was a little more than she鈥檇 anticipated. 鈥淚 realized I probably should have done that before they came, but I used that hindsight for the next time I did a dinner," she said.
Or take the case of Anita Michaud, 25, who moved to Brooklyn Heights, New York, in 2021 for work. It was a challenge to find new friends. So she started advertising her idea for a 鈥� 鈥� on social media. The 8鈥� to 10-person themed events held in hosts' homes now have wait lists in the hundreds.
Throwing a dinner party 鈥� anything from a pot of chili to a multi-course feast 鈥� is a great way to build social connections, at . There鈥檚 something about preparing and sharing a meal that bonds people.
If you鈥檙e just starting out, have no fear
You might not be ready for Michaud's level of dinner partying, but with some simple planning and a little effort, hosting your first group nosh needn鈥檛 be daunting.
Remember: You鈥檙e inviting friends 鈥� they already like you. You鈥檙e doing it in your own place; you know your way around. And you鈥檙e not trying to be Gatsby 鈥� it鈥檚 supper with your besties. Just take it easy.
Some ways to do that:
Set the Scene
Even without a proper dining table, you can host small groups around a counter, or even a large coffee table. Don鈥檛 worry about matching glasses and plates; we鈥檙e living in a more freewheeling era, where motley styles and mix 鈥榥鈥� match make as stylish a table setting as .
Don鈥檛 have enough proper plates and utensils? There are cool, new, compostable alternatives to standard disposable plates and cutlery.
Some well-chosen supermarket flowers and simple candles are really all you need to create ambience. Jessie-Sierra Ross, a food and entertaining blogger in Holyoke, Massachusetts, advises arrangements of three or five 鈥� 鈥渨e鈥檙e wired to be attracted to odd-numbered groupings of items.鈥�
鈥淢usic sets the mood,鈥� notes Atlanta-based food blogger Erica Thomas. 鈥淚 always recommend planning it in advance. A fun tip is to ask your guests to send over two of their favorite songs, then create a playlist. Apple Music and Spotify offer 鈥榙inner party鈥� playlists.鈥�
Have beverages at the ready
鈥淚f you decide to provide cocktails, create a recipe that can be used in batches,鈥� advises Thomas. 鈥淭hat way, your guests can self-serve. When hosting a dinner party, it鈥檚 all about elevating. Have a water self-serve station with fruit ice cubes, or lemon and basil. It鈥檚 simple but will impress your guests.鈥�
Ross likes the idea of offering a homemade cocktail to get things rolling as guests arrive. A favorite: grapefruit .
She also suggests setting up a spritz bar with all the fixings. 鈥淕uests can play at-home mixologist.鈥�
So, what's for dinner?
Choose a menu theme, and go with the tried-and-true.
Real Simple editor Lisa Milbrand suggests picking a favorite place in the world for some sample dishes: Italian lasagna, French crepes, Japanese noodles, Greek orzo, Korean bibimbap, or Chinese dumplings and rice, for example. Or have a little fun with time travel 鈥� maybe 鈥�70s-era cheese fondues and casseroles, or sample medieval fare like savory pies, fruits and honeys.
Michaud鈥檚 themes have included a Lebanese-Indian feast that featured hummus, curry, labneh and pistachio almond cake, washed down with a fizzy spiced apple cardamom cocktail. Yum.
Keep it simple. 鈥淧asta is great because it鈥檚 easy to accommodate dietary restrictions 鈥� you can use gluten-free noodles, avoid dairy, and choose to include a protein or not. It鈥檚 fail-proof," says Thomas.
鈥淚 recommend using a go-to recipe that you know is reliable,鈥� she continued. "Avoid experimenting with new dishes on the day of the event.... If you want to try a new dish, practice it a few weeks in advance to perfect it.鈥�
Pre-cook as much as you can
鈥淚鈥檓 a firm believer in making as much ahead of time as possible,鈥� says Real Simple鈥檚 Jenna Helwig. 鈥淢y personal dinner-party go-to is either butternut squash lasagna or sausage and broccoli rabe baked rigatoni. I assemble them up to a day ahead, they bake as people arrive, and all I have to do before dinner is toss together a salad with dressing made earlier in the day. Nobody鈥檚 ever complained!鈥�
Consider focusing your efforts on one or two dishes, what Ross calls stars of the show.
鈥淚t could be a beautiful piece of beef tenderloin or a decadent flourless chocolate cake. Choose recipes that create maximum impact at the table for everyone to enjoy, then choose less time-intensive recipes for the rest of the menu,鈥� she says.
Another great option, especially for your picky eaters: an assemble-your-own dinner. Think custom pizzas, salads, sandwiches or tacos.
Finally, 鈥減lan your menu by thinking seasonally,鈥� advises Ross. See what鈥檚 fresh and in season for the best prices and quality. Got a good fish market near you? Baked, buttered cod takes only 20 minutes. Berries in season? Berry bowls with coconut whipped cream could be a nice finish.
Bellinger has found a not-so-secret weapon. 鈥淥ne of my favorite tools is my Instapot! It鈥檚 so easy to pop everything in and hit the button before friends come, so I can actually enjoy the party instead of cooking the whole time.鈥�
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New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The Associated Press. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.
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Kim Cook, The Associated Press
