| Things to Consider when Planning a Dinner Party | | | | Main Course: |
| Most successful dinner parties are planned well in | | | | Salmon Fillet with Wilted Spinach and Lemon Beurre |
| advance. By doing so you will not only relieve yourself | | | | Blanc |
| of unnecessary stress but you will guarantee that the | | | | Dessert: |
| night goes perfectly smooth and that you are there to | | | | Grilled Peaches with Amaretto Mascarpone |
| enjoy the evening as much as your guests. The | | | | Prep List |
| following are some items you will want to consider and | | | | 3 Days Out |
| plan well before the night of your next dinner party. | | | | * Reduce Balsamic |
| * Send invites with occasion, theme (if any), time, | | | | 2 Days Out |
| address and an rsvp contact. | | | | * Lemon vinaigrette |
| * Confirm attendees. | | | | * Chilli lime & gin marinade |
| * Include other items on your shopping list that you | | | | * Prepare spiced cashews |
| may also need, i.e. coffee, tea, mixers, alcohol, wine, | | | | 1 Day Out |
| candles etc. | | | | * Order oysters, salmon & crab |
| * Polish all the cutlery. | | | | * Blanch Asparagus |
| * Check the glassware and wash and polish if need | | | | * Cut Prosciutto |
| be. | | | | * Beurre blanc prep |
| * Check your crockery. Do you have enough? Is it | | | | * Amaretto Mascarpone |
| chipped? | | | | On The Day |
| * Choose your table settings if any. | | | | * Set the table in the morning, (that way you get this |
| * Do you have enough chairs? | | | | task out of the way early while you still have time). |
| * Set the table for a test as you will on the day. | | | | * Pick up seafood |
| * Choose the music for the dinner? Play list or CD's? | | | | * Pick crab |
| * Organise candles or lighting for the evening. Do not | | | | * Clean salmon fillets if needed |
| underestimate the music and lighting, a dinner party is | | | | * Clean oysters if needed (check for bits of shell) |
| about all the senses not just the ones on your tongue. | | | | * Pick spinach |
| * Tidy up. | | | | * Dice avocado |
| * Know the number for your local taxi, or make up a | | | | * Cut baby herbs |
| spare bed or two in case some of your guests are | | | | * Wrap Salmon |
| unable to drive. | | | | * Halve peaches (leave them out of fridge now, to |
| * Match wines to your menu. | | | | allow them to come to room temperature). |
| * Are there any dietary requirements your guests may | | | | Running Order |
| have? Celiac, Vegetarian, Allergies etc. | | | | 6:00 pm |
| * Chill the wine. | | | | * Assemble asparagus bites |
| With all of these tasks out of the way you can get | | | | * Top oysters with marinade |
| back to focusing on the food you will be serving. The | | | | 6:20 |
| key to success on the food front is to plan, plan, plan | | | | * Sear Salmon |
| and plan, and by that I simply mean the following 4 | | | | * Make reduction for beurre blanc |
| items: | | | | 6:40 pm |
| Write out Your Menu | | | | * Tray up canapés |
| This is what you are serving, and to see it written in | | | | * Clean up canapé mess |
| front of you keeps you on track. Even the best and | | | | * Line up first course plates |
| most practised musician's play to a song list, plus it is | | | | 7:00 |
| vital to the remaining 3 items. | | | | * Serve drinks |
| Write a Shopping List | | | | * Dress asparagus with balsamic syrup |
| Write your shopping list from the menu and the recipes | | | | * Serve canapés |
| you will need on the night. | | | | 7:15 |
| Write a Prep List | | | | * Assemble crab stacks on first course plates (do not |
| If you don't write it down, there is a good chance you | | | | put herbs on yet) |
| will miss it. Professional kitchens work from prep lists all | | | | * Preheat oven to 180 |
| day right up to service time, if you do the same (even | | | | * Remove mascarpone from fridge to allow it to come |
| days before) you will have a stress free night. | | | | to room temperature. |
| Write a Running Order | | | | 7:30 |
| Ever wonder how when you're at a wedding (a good | | | | * Dress crab stack with a little vinaigrette |
| one that is) how the kitchen manages to get everyone | | | | * Drizzle a little dressing around stack |
| fed on time and how one course flows to the other so | | | | * Top crab stack with dressed herbs |
| seamlessly? Well I can assure you, the kitchen is not | | | | 7:40 |
| winging it. They are running to a very precise time flow. | | | | * Bring plates to the table |
| Each part of the puzzle is pre-planned and prepared | | | | * Seat guests |
| at a designated time. This blueprint for how and when | | | | 8:00 |
| the kitchens tasks will be done can be called | | | | * Clear first course |
| everything from a 'Running Order' to 'Work Flow'. | | | | * Cook salmon in oven 5-10 minutes, depending on |
| Whatever you call it, the important thing is to make | | | | thickness. |
| sure you have one. | | | | * Prepare beurre blanc |
| Below is a sample menu, prep list and running order | | | | * Line up main course plates |
| are for a dinner party, I have not included a shopping | | | | * Remove salmon and allow to rest |
| list as that is pretty self explanatory. Let's assume in | | | | * Blanche spinach |
| this case the guests are arriving at 7:00 pm and dinner | | | | * Plate up |
| will be served at 7:40 pm. | | | | * Serve |
| Menu | | | | Afterwards |
| Canapés:Asparagus and Prosciutto Bites with | | | | * Clear Main course plates |
| Reduced Balsamic Vinegar | | | | * Grill peaches |
| Chilli Lime and Gin Marinated Oysters | | | | * Finish peaches in oven |
| Homemade Spiced Cashews | | | | * Line up dessert plates |
| First Course: | | | | * Serve dessert |
| Crab, Pickled Ginger and Avocado Stack with Baby | | | | * Relax you've done well!! |
| Herbs and Lemon Vinaigrette | | | | |