How To Impress At Your Next Dinner Party

​The holiday season is just beginning, which means you’ll likely be entertaining guests in the near future. Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party for your colleagues or Thanksgiving Dinner for your family, you must plan ahead to allow for a fun, stress-free celebration.

With that in mind, here are some simple ways to ensure you impress at your next dinner party. ​

Ask about dietary requirements ahead of time

It’s worth reaching out to your guests and checking if they have any dietary requirements before you even think about the menu for your dinner party. After all, you want to be as accommodating as possible. Of course, you could prepare multiple variations of certain dishes if necessary - such as a meat or dairy-free version of the recipe you were already planning to use. If you’re sending out invites, you could ask guests to let you know about their dietary requirements when they confirm their attendance.

Know your skills as a chef

While you may be tempted to follow a complex recipe in order to put out a show-stopping dinner, it's better to stick to a recipe you know and love. After all, this means your dishes are more likely to be executed to perfection, and you can cook up some crowd-pleasers, such as baked sushi cups or mozzarella sticks. This way, everyone is happy, and you can save yourself a lot of stress in the kitchen. 

You should also ensure you prepare as much food as possible ahead of time so that you can actually hang out with your guests.

Plan out your entertainment ahead of time

While food is undoubtedly the most important aspect of any dinner party, you also have to keep your guests entertained throughout the night. While conversation will begin to flow as time goes on, you might want to begin with some icebreakers or games, as this will help people get to know each other a little better. 

After dinner, play classic dinner party games such as poker. While you can play without actually gambling, if there’s going to be money on the line, you should practice by playing online poker beforehand. ​

Make your own cocktail menu

If you’re looking to take your family gathering to the next level, curating your own cocktail menu is a great way to go. Don’t worry; this does not mean that you have to become a mixologist overnight - you can use traditional cocktail recipes and simply change the names here and there. For example, you may want to name them after a family member or based on an inside joke you all share. Be sure to include some non-alcoholic options for younger guests or designated drivers. ​

Decorate your home

Decorating your home is a great way to elevate your dinner party, though it's worth noting you only need to focus on the rooms guests will be spending time in. Furthermore, most of your attention should go to setting the table. Instead of keeping it simple and dusting off your old tablecloth, why not make place cards for each guest or a themed centerpiece? ​