Preparing for the Perfect Dinner Party

by Paul Riedman

Do you want to throw a dinner party that will have your friends wondering whether you have a professional caterer hiding in the kitchen? It can be easy to swap old standby dishes for more ambitious fare if you use the four Ps: planning, preparing, practicing and presentation.

Planning

In the restaurant world, it can be a long time before a new item reaches the menu. Large chains and corporate dining operations will work on concepts for years before you get a chance to order them, so follow their lead and set yourself up for success by planning ahead.

Try to give yourself at least two weeks to plan your dinner. You can start planning by choosing recipes that look interesting, or you can run an exploratory mission to the market to see what produce and meats look good. Fresh ingredients can make even the most mundane meal sing, so keep an eye out for seasonal items that look too good to pass up.

Once you have an idea of what you want to prepare, make a list that includes every dish on your menu. If it is a sit down dinner, think about how many courses you want to serve. Look at books and magazines; pay attention when you go out to dinner at your local spot. The menu will develop before your eyes.

As you accumulate recipes, be sure to read them closely to get a sense of how much attention each dish will need. Try to choose at least one course (like a salad, cold soup, or dessert) that can be prepared in advance. Managing your workload will keep you from overextending yourself on the big day. And don't be afraid to outsource one of the courses if the menu seems daunting. Chocolate cake from your favorite bakery or to-die-for chicken soup from the local market can usually be worked into a home cooked meal without anyone blinking twice.

Practicing

If you plan on preparing something you've never made before, give it a test drive before serving it to company. Try cooking the dish for your family or someone who would appreciate it (like a neighbor or relative that needs a nice meal). Make sure the seasoning and the cooking time are right. Whether it's good or bad, take note of any criticism you receive so you can perfect the dish the next time around. This dress rehearsal will also give you a good idea of how much work each dish will require, allowing you to budget enough time for your grand dinner.

Practicing is also an important step because it helps you build confidence. Once you've got a dish nailed, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to recreate it for your special guests.

Prepping

There are two stages of prep: gathering ingredients and getting them organized for cooking. Start the gathering process by taking stock of the staples you have at home, then making a list of the ingredients you are going to need. If you are using any exotic or seasonal ingredients, make sure you'll be able to get them before to committing to a dish.

Once you have all the ingredients, get everything organized and start preparing what you can ahead of time. For example, you can make vinaigrettes a few days in advance, and many meats will turn out best if they marinate over night. You'll also want to make sure your kitchen is clean and that you have all of the cooking utensils you need.

On the day of the party, collect all your ingredients and cooking utensils. Before you light a burner or chop a vegetable, take the time to re-read all of your recipes to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. To keep yourself from running out of time, do all of your prep work (chopping, peeling, grating, cleaning, thawing, etc.) before you begin cooking. Having everything prepped and organized will also keep you sane once guests arrive.

Presenting

At this point, you've put together an ambitious menu, tried out any recipes you found intimidating, then prepped and cooked everything to perfection. The next step is to make food look as good as it tastes. Garnishes, like a sprig of fresh herbs, a small dice of tomato or a nicely toasted crouton, will perk up your plates and make your dish taste better.

You should also think about presentation while you are cooking. Be patient to get cross hatch grill marks on meats, or take the time to add a crispy sugar crust to creme brulée.

And don't forget that presentation goes beyond what's on the plate. Setting the table, adding flowers, candles and other decorations can help make the entire experience a relaxing and enjoyable departure from the average meal.

As a final step, keep your meal warm by serving it on plates that have been warmed in the oven. This step is especially important if you plan to invite more than four people, because the food can cool before you are able to get it all plated and onto the table.

With our busy lives, a deluxe homemade meal is always a treat. By following the four Ps, you can make sure the treat you plan is one your guests will be talking about for weeks.