As you can certainly imagine the name Dinner Party Guru implies that I love a dinner party.

Am I an expert or ever been a caterer or something ~ well no ~ but I do adore all aspects of gathering friends and family around the table.

It is a mystery to me why the Dinner Party seems to have died out???

Some of the reasons I have heard though are ~ too much trouble, I don’t think I can pull it off, I can’t cook well enough …..

My dears, please allow me to convince you otherwise!

Comfort Food for the Soul

Do you remember as a child the wonderful experience of smelling your favorite meal being prepared? The scents wafting out from the kitchen and the anticipation of tucking into that meal.

For me, as a Southern child, that was pinto beans with ham hocks bubbling on the stove , fried potatoes getting crispy in the iron skillet, a freshly cut onion and of course the aromas of cornbread and a cobbler baking in the oven.

When your guests enter your home they will experience this same sensory pleasure ….

Don’t worry so much about your menu, we all have dishes that we have perfected. It doesn’t need to be fancy.

Your guests will love entering your kitchen and seeing what you are whipping up ~ share this with them and you will be amazed at the bonding that takes place over a lovingly prepared supper. Beef Wellington or a good ole hamburger it doesn’t really matter!

We Eat with our Eyes First

Before the guest arrive, literally days before, let your inner creativity go crazy while setting your table. Decorate it with the exuberance of a child on Christmas morning!

Make it a magical spot where your guests will feel treasured and never want to get up once they sit down. Use mismatched china, one of a kind glasses and your grandmother’s silver and hand embroidered napkins.

The main point of setting a beautiful and interesting table is to let your guest know you made the effort to enchant them. They will surprise you with their delight!

Music Makes a Party

Create a playlist your quest will love. Choose music you know that they will enjoy and fit with the overall mood you want for the evening.

Don’t use your playlist to convert someone’s musical taste – this is not an occasion to turn a classical music lover into a country western fan!

Just remember a great curated playlist can turn an ordinary party into a wonderful evening.

Relax and Have Fun

Remember this is your dinner party too. It is a time for you to relax with friends and just enjoy being together in your home. Sharing your home is really a way to say – we want to spend time with you without the pressure to leave at a certain time or pay the bill ~ come on in here and let’s relax, eat together and have fun on our own schedule!

You Can Do It

Just take that leap of faith – let’s bring back the art of the dinner party.