How to Throw a Dinner Party by a Personal Chef| Recipes Articles

Articles

Food is our common ground, a universal experience.

- James Beard

How to Throw a Dinner Party by a Personal Chef

"A Personal Chef" means just that...personal. My job is to custom design menus that all my guests will enjoy even if that means making a special dish for someone who may have specific dietary requirements. After all, I want all of my guests to love the food that I'm serving.

When planning a dinner party there are decisions that need to be made early on. What type of party do you want to have? Do you want a casual buffet-style dinner or would you prefer a simple or elegant sit-down dinner?

After you decide on your dinner style, the next step is figuring out what to serve. Perhaps you want to impress your guests with a seasonal favorite or do you want go with a regional cuisine such as Italian or Thai?

When making this decision, I always consider what I think most of my guests would enjoy the most. For example, if I know that most of the people attending the dinner are gourmet enthusiasts, my menu can be more adventurous. I would use some caution for a more conservative crowd. Do I have any vegetarians or calorie-conscious guests attending?

Whether I am having a buffet or a sit down, I always serve at least one awesome appetizer while I prepare a platter of fresh veggies with a yummy dip, such as a hot artichoke-spinach dip or a creamy yogurt-herb dip. If I don't have a lot of cheese in my menu, I may decide to put out an impressive cheese platter with gourmet crackers rather then the veggie platter.

I love making soup and I find that most people don't get to enjoy soup as often as they would like. Maybe tonight is the night to showcase a fabulous homemade soup. If I know that there are vegetarians in the crowd, I will serve a vegetable based soup rather then a chicken based soup. Everyone loves salad, so it's up to you if you want to serve both a soup & salad.

Now for the entrée, I will select a main course, which will showcase either a chicken, seafood or meat item. I will then pair that with a hearty vegetable or pasta dish. This will cover both the vegetarians and non-vegetarians at the table. Dessert is much easier. I usually serve two desserts, something light and fruity and something rich and decadent.

Tips:

When planning a menu, try not to repeat the same ingredients in your dishes. Also try to pick foods that compliment each other.

Make as many things as you can ahead of time so that you're workload is not too heavy the day of your party. Many appetizers can be made days & even weeks ahead and placed in the freezer.

If you have been slaving over the savory stuff, buy a favorite dessert from your bakery and put your own finishing touches on it. Not everything has to be made from scratch.

Set your table early. It's one less thing to do the day of your party.

Invite an interesting mix of guests to spice things up.
Play some great music. Food isn't everything.

Oh, and don't forget the wine. Try to pair your wine with your menu. If you're not sure, ask your local wine merchant for advice or go to Match My Wine for some great food & wine pairing suggestions

— Written by Chef Debby Poe

< PREVIOUS ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE >

Tags : ---

Share This >