The good old-fashioned dinner party is experiencing somewhat of a revival. Back from the 80s minus the fondue sets and the awkwardness of house keys left in a bowl at the door, the new at-home entertaining is a sophisticated yet still revelrous affair.

While the food is a key ingredient of the occasion, the true essence of a great dinner party lies in the social aspect of bringing people together to “break bread” while they marvel at your culinary prowess, obviously. As with any good social occasion, though, the dinner party ritual is one that comes with a few dos and don’ts. These handy hints, if abided by, will ensure that both host and guest have a memorable evening.

Host Responsibility:

1.

The guest list should be a healthy mix of old friends and new acquaintances, and, if you’re
feeling really dangerous, a mixture of friends with contrasting opinions to really get the lively debate going. Enforcing a seating plan will further display the wonders of your social engineering tactics. 

2.

The essence of a great seating plan follows a few simple rules: Quiet people should be seated next to, or in between, the rowdy. Less intellectual people should never be seated near the intelligent. Likewise, the dull should never be seated next to the clever. Singles should, at every opportunity, be seated together to guarantee your name check in any potential wedding speeches.

3.

Ensure that the menu consists of something a little out of the ordinary – bordering on the extraordinary.  Be mindful, though. Despite how undeniably impressive it might seem, embarking on one of Heston Blumenthal’s liquid nitrogen-infused molecular gastronomy recipes may well result in a disaster of epic proportions, à la Bridget Jones’ infamous blue soup. Also, be mindful that anything that can be prepared well in advance will do wonders for your composure on the evening, and will instil a sense of overwhelming control in your gathered guests.

4.

For a truly memorable experience, you may wish to consider selecting wines that match each of the courses you are serving. While this may seem a little over the top, your guests will appreciate the fact that they don’t have to endure a green sauvignon blanc brought by another guest with your hearty rendition of Chateaubriand. 

5.

As a host, you have the responsibility to maintain order. If you have embarked on a journey of extreme social engineering, it is also your responsibility to play umpire. You will need to ensure that the conversation remains a reasonable debate rather than morphing into an ugly, or, heaven forbid, violent rage.

People you should avoid inviting:

The extreme partier

Telltale signs: Constant yawning, sallow eyes, and a slightly stale aroma. No one cares how awesome last night’s party was when your breath stinks and you’re sweating a lot. While it’s great that you’ve shown commitment and turned up, may we suggest that perhaps it’s time you went home and got some sleep.

The alpha guest

Telltale signs: Never shows interest in anyone else’s thoughts or opinions. Plays conversation king for the entire evening, chewing off the ear of anyone who will listen with stories of his tenure as captain of his High School’s first fifteen, two decades ago. 

The foodie

Telltale signs: Asks what you’re planning to cook when you pose the invite. Asks if you need any help. Arrives and immediately checks your cooking progress, and comments on what you could be doing wrong. In extreme cases, the foodie will, in fact, take over all cooking tasks, leaving the host to turn to drinking in shame in the corner.