The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

NOTES ON ENTERTAINING

“For you know that alone we cannot share life. Others must be there.” – Diego Vasquez Pacheco –

B oth professionally and personally, I’ve thrown what feels like a million parties in my life. From lavish state banquets served off of three hundred year old Meissen china in the Buckingham Palace ballroom, to hand packed Tupperware meals for picnics in the almoral countryside, to expansive barbeques on vast Texas’ ranches and chatty cocktails parties at sea, I’ve had a hand in lots and lots of get togethers. Amazingly, I still look forward to the next one! From years of observation, I’ve cobbled together some very general guidelines about what seems to make dinner parties go smoothly, for host and guest. I think of them in four categories: comfort, style, organization and menu.

COMFORT Comfort is at the very heart of hospitality. While there are those rare people who seem utterly at home no matter the situation, they are the exception rather than the rule. I am lucky to have two friends whose names go on my list first for every party. They meticulously and naturally work their way around the room introducing, connecting and networking; it makes my job as host a lot easier. Recognizing early on how to make your guests comfortable

goes a long way to creating a relaxed evening. So here are a couple of tips:

• A friendly hello and a freshly made drink is a must. Welcoming guest into your home and introducing them around is a basic kindness and helps to get the conversation going. If it’s a familiar group of friends, then you don’t have to do much. On the other hand, if the guests are strangers to one another, take a moment for introductions and help them

NOTES ON ENTERTAINING 217