Fine-Dining Experiences and Gourmet Dinner Parties

There’s no better way to make an impression on your family, friends and clients than a wonderful dinner party. Carefully planned, with select dishes, choice ingredients and just the right ambience, these occasions can live long in the memory and longer on the taste buds! 

Whether your dinner party takes place at home, at a friend’s place or in a top restaurant, the right combination of food, atmosphere and guests can make all the difference between the best of times, and the worst of times! Show off your home, your culinary skills, or just splash out on some fabulous nosh in an elegant restaurant.

Whether it’s the basic backyard summer BBQ or a Swanky Seven Course feast – make sure you make the dinner date as early as possible, that way all the arrangements can be made far in advance.

Here are some TOP suggestions for simply the best dinner parties:

Top Restaurants

With a booking at one of the top London restaurants, you’ll be ensuring yourself and your guests an evening to remember. Check with a knowledgeable friend or reputable website to find out which are the best places to dine. Book well in advance to get a (good) table and always look at the special menu, it usually holds some delightful surprises. Don’t be afraid to ask the Maitre ‘D’s opinion about wine or any aspect of your meal, although, of course, it always looks good if you’ve done a little research in advance.

Your Place

Of course, a dinner party held in your own home can be just as much fun and just as impressive for your guests. It’s important that you plan out the meal in advance of the occasion and perhaps even try out a dish or two before the day. Once you’ve planned out the meal, and you’ve checked that no one is veggie or allergic to anything, you can begin buying the best ingredients.

Your Place (Cheating a Bit)

However, if you’re not the most confident of cooks, it’s always possible to get in a professional chef to teach you to cook the meal, or even cook it for you. Whether you hide them in the kitchen and pretend you did it all, or bring them out and toast their genius, is entirely down to you.

Come Dine with Me-Style Dinner Club

Just like the television programme from Channel 4, the idea is that a group of diners meet regularly, every four to six weeks or so (some more regularly) and cook for each other. These usually occur in small groups, no more than six. Try out new recipes or old favourites on your dinner party guests.   Add a few bottles of wine to make the conversation flow and you’ve got a great evening of entertainment.

Gourmet Themed Events

For the less conservative of taste, it’s great to hold a themed event. At these occasions, each guest brings a gourmet food or drink item that is in keeping with the theme of the evening. Of course, it’s possible for the host to provide all the food and beverages for this occasion too. During the summer, it might be fun to hold a part of the event outside.

Try to avoid Americana or Mexicana as your theme, unless you want to find yourself drowning in gourmet burger and burritos! Themes you might want to consider are: Australian, French, Thai, Japanese, Historical, and Festive – anything you want as long as you can obtain all of the ingredients!

Group Cooking Experiences

This is a very different option from the rest of the dinner party suggestions. The entire dinner party descends on the host earlier than they usually would appear for a normal dinner party. They bring individual elements of the meal, or the wine and then they cook together to prepare and eat the meal. Everyone’s in the kitchen at the same time, enjoying the company and thoroughly sharing in all aspects of the preparation, cooking, eating, and yes – perhaps even the washing up if it’s necessary! This more hands-on approach is probably not the option for entertaining clients, although, you never know, some of the more adventurous might really enjoy it.

If you’d like the opportunity to taste some of the finest dining experiences in London, mixing with like-minded people who enjoy the good things in life like you do, contact Kim Rix at kim@savvyclub.co.uk or visit www.savvyclub.co.uk