Guest Post: 10 Tips For Successful Entertaining

Posted by Matt on January 18th, 2010 at 08:00am

This post comes to us from Komali Nunna, a California-based chef from Southern India who has been entertaining guests in her home and community for 25 years. She now shares her time-tested recipes in a new cookbook, Entertaining from an Ethnic Indian Kitchen. To obtain spice blends used in this recipe and to learn more about her cookbook, visit www.KomaliNunna.com.

Cooking isn’t really about food. It’s about entertaining. I have had the privilege to host many parties over the past 25 years. Entertaining is not just the act of serving food and wine. It is also about creating an ambiance that people will remember. Here are 10 rules of thumb I always follow to make an event unforgettable for my guests, and to help the party unfold without a hitch.

1. Get inspired. Set the table before cooking a meal. This will both inspire you to create a gorgeous meal, and save time when you need it most.

2. Choose a theme. Themed get-togethers are memorable. Feature a regional cuisine, such as Punjab, or celebrate a far-away holiday such as India’s Deepawali, the festival of lights. Or for a dinner with family, find old favorite photographs to use as place cards. Get the idea?

3. Don’t come up short. Read all the recipes you’ll be using beforehand, and make a master shopping list of all the ingredients you’ll need.

4. Make a time line. Rather than depend on experience, make a time line of what goes into the oven when, what gets thawed or brought to room temperature, when dishes get garnished, and so on. You’ll stay on track even if there are interruptions (early guests, phone calls, deliveries, etc.).

5. Think seasonal. When planning a menu, consider fruits and vegetables in season. Not only will they taste better because they’re fresh, but they’ll be cheaper. For example, pomegranates at holiday time, baby greens in spring, etc.

6. Keep an “entertaining journal.” Your journal might include entertainment accessories (e.g., baskets, centerpieces) and where they’re stored; menus and guests–along with notes on what went well and what didn’t; and ideas for future events.

7. Create ambiance. Create an environment that fits or enhances the occasion–using flowers, lighting, music, interesting table settings and decorations, menu cards, place cards, and so on.

8. Give party favors. For an Indian feast, you might give guests tiny jars of homemade garam masala, tied with raffia, along with a favorite recipe. For a garden party, how about a small terra cotta pot with a seed packet of wildflowers? Or try simple gifts–such as chocolate or a tiny wrapped tea cake.

9. Find new places to eat. Your dining room doesn’t have to be the only place you entertain. Try creating a party at the pool, in the backyard under the gazebo, or in front of the fireplace in your living room at a low table with cushions to sit on.

10. Spice up your holidays. Take a traditional meal, such as Christmas dinner, and turn it on its head, serving ethnic Indian side dishes with your favorite Christmas entrée.

Tags: home cooking, meal planner

Under Uncategorized Tags: home cooking, meal planner