Dinner Party
A proper sit-down dinner that leaves you time to sit down
Plan a dinner party for six to twelve with a seasonal menu, a cooking schedule that fits your kitchen, and a make-ahead dessert. Get portion sizes, wine pairing ideas, table-setting advice and a timeline that lets you greet guests with a drink rather than an apron.
Countdown
The dinner party timeline
Tick things off as you go — it’s a checklist.
3 weeks before
1 week before
2 days before
Day before
Day of
Day after
Menu ideas
What to serve
- Warm toasts, seasonal toppingShort oven burst; competes with the anchor if timed badly.
- Radishes, butter & flaky saltCold welcome. No heat. Butter cool, radishes in ice water until the door.
- Red-wine braiseLong oven hold, improves overnight, forgiving on timing.
- Chickpea & squash tagineStovetop only, plant-forward, holds an hour without damage.
- Potato gratinHeavy oven demand — only when a second rack is genuinely free. Assembled a day ahead, holds hot an hour without harm.
- Cold green salad, sharp dressingZero heat. Dress at the last moment.
- Rosemary focaccia, tornDimpled and oiled the morning of; bakes while the room fills up.
- Dark chocolate potsSet in the fridge overnight in the serving vessel — no plating.
- Lemon possetThree ingredients, sets in the fridge overnight, no gelatine to manage.
- Wine serviceCounted, not guessed. Chilling capacity is the constraint.
- Zero-proof house pourNo-alcohol house pour. Batched, chilled, poured like anything else.
Décor ideas
- · Low candles down the table, unscented.
- · Flowers cut short so guests can see each other.
- · Cloth napkins, simply folded.
- · Place cards to mix up couples and seat talkers apart.
- · A clear sideboard for serving and bottles.
Things to do
- · Aperitivo standing up before sitting down.
- · A conversation prompt card on each plate.
- · A cheese course that lets the evening slow down.
- · Move to sofas for dessert and coffee.
Drinks
- · An aperitivo to start: spritz or dry sherry.
- · One white and one red chosen for the main course.
- · A zero-proof house pour with bitters and citrus.
- · Sparkling water on the table in jugs.
- · Coffee, tea and a digestif after dessert.
Music · Warm and low; the conversation is the entertainment.
- · Jazz and soul for arrivals.
- · Instrumental or quiet vocal records during dinner.
- · A lift in tempo when dessert arrives.
Questions hosts ask
How much food per person for a dinner party?
Plan about 230 g (8 oz) of finished main per guest, about 125 g (4.4 oz) of each side, and roughly one roll's worth of bread. If you serve a starter, you can trim the main slightly.
How many courses should a dinner party have?
Three is plenty: a light starter or aperitivo, a main with two sides, and dessert. More courses add a lot of plates and time in the kitchen.
How much wine for a dinner party?
A 750 ml bottle pours about five glasses. A dinner of four hours at a relaxed pace usually needs about half a bottle per wine-drinking guest. Keep water on the table and a zero-proof option ready.
What can I make ahead for a dinner party?
Braises, stews and tagines improve overnight. Gratins can be assembled the day before, dressings keep for days, and set desserts like posset and chocolate pots need to be made ahead anyway.