You already know how to throw a dinner party without getting stressed, but how can you take your dinner party to the next level? Hosting a dinner party is a lovely way to spend time with friends, and enjoy a meal together. But can you make sure everyone enjoys themselves and goes away thinking you're a wonderful host?

Dinner Party Hosts

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  1. Don't attempt a recipe you have never tried before. It might be tempting, but a dinner party is not the time to experiment, as you'll end up spending more time in the kitchen worrying than you do with your guests. If you want to try a new recipe, like these krumkake filled with mascarpone, have a test run on your family first so you know what to expect.
  2. Do prep in advance. During the party, you want to be at the table spending time with your guests as much as possible, not standing over the oven in the kitchen on your own. To make this easier, prepare as much of the food in advance as you can. Do your prep like getting a dessert made and in the fridge, or preparing the mains so they just need to go into the oven when guests arrive.
  3. Don't panic, and don't apologize for the food. If something doesn't go quite to plan, don't worry about it. Your friends have come to see you, not to eat restaurant-quality food. If the beef is slightly more cooked than you'd like, or the green beans didn't come right and you had to leave them off, don't say anything, and chances are nobody will even notice.
  4. Do check the recipe in advance. Even if you're planning on serving a dish that you have made a hundred times before, take the time to read through the recipe again in advance. This way, you'll notice if you've forgotten to buy any of the essential ingredients and will be better able to remember the method of making the dish.
  5. Don't rely on your guests for anything you can't do without. Guests at a dinner party will often offer to bring something. This is a kind offer, but it's easy for guests to forget to pick up that bottle of wine in the rush to get out of the house. Anything guests bring should be a bonus, not an essential part of the evening, like the wine or a side dish you need.
  6. Do start cooking a little earlier than you think you should. It's inevitable that you'll be distracted from the cooking, whether it's to answer the door or chatting in the kitchen. If you are ready a little early, there are very few dishes that can't be kept warm until you're ready to serve.
  7. Don't pry. If somebody says no to something you offer them, whether it's a glass of wine or dessert, don't push them. Politely accept the refusal and move on. If you press them to have some, you may cause a guest to have to reveal they're sober, pregnant or dieting before they're ready to tell people.