Presenter Laura Jackson and DJ Alice Levine know a thing or two about putting on a slap-up dinner party; the two not only host their own supperclub (Jackson & Levine - it's yummy - go and have a ganders) but now, they've gone and presented their own series where they meet Britons opening up *their *own supperclubs.
So, if your last dinner party was a bit of a dud, here's a few tips on how to get it right next time.
OK, so, you’ve accidentally agreed to host a dinner party. Who’s coming? I feel like non-judgemental people are best.
No fussy eaters (dairy free, gluten free, grain free, carb free, no peas on a Tuesday etc etc). We get it, some people genuinely can't eat certain things - but let's be honest - when you're catering for 6, 8, 10 different preferences it's a bit of a pain in the arse!
All the Chatty Cathys - you want conversation to flow and people to get on even if they've never met. You want that friend with all the great anecdotes to come along just in case it gets quiet. A of course, the mate who's got a great record collection - if you're busy sorting the food you want someone in charge of the Spotify (not the friend who just bought tickets for the Busted reunion).
What day of the week are you looking at?
We often have supperclubs on a Friday. People come straight from work and are ready to unwind. A school night means people are worried about drinking too much and a Saturday only gives you one day to recover (and to tidy up the aftermath!)
Do you go super fancy and have canapés on arrival? If so – what are some easy ones that look like you’ve put a bit of time and/or effort into them?
Canapés don't have to be complicated or fancy. We always think it's nice to have something for guests when they first arrive. It could be a really simple like crostini with pea and feta or maybe some fresh figs with blue cheese and honey.
If you were going to go for a suitably fancy drink to start with (obviously the less fancy stuff comes later when people don’t realise) - what’s a good one to go with?
We have the perfect welcome drink with we refer to (on the quiet) as rocket fuel. It gets conversation flowing, and people relaxed, almost too much! Prosecco, elderflower cordial, gin (we like Hendricks), cucumber ribbons, a slice of grapefruit and lots of ice.
Table settings – talk to me – I assume you can cover up a multitude of culinary sins with a few well-placed decorations – any tips for this?
We are definitely of the 'make do and mend' mentality. We love repurposing items we already have, just as much as we love buying new homewares. We collected glass yoghurt pots and they made really great tea light holders and individual dessert containers. Pop lid French lemonade bottles from the deli once cleaned out are perfect as carafes and we use tea towels as an alternative to more expensive linen napkins. As for decoration we keep it minimal - but we love flowers and plants. Some lovely candles and a few vases of hydrangeas will look really chic. If you don't want it too girly, potted fresh herbs are a nice alternative to blooms.
Wild card: you’ve got a vegetarian that didn’t make themselves known ahead of time – what’s a quick meal you can do to make them think you did actually mean to include them?
This happened to us at one of our very first supperclub. We ended up doing slow roasted sweet and sour onions - cooked with brown sugar and red wine vinegar. A great dish that even the meat eaters asked for helpings of.
When it comes to working out three courses – do you want to put all your time and effort into one and make the others quick and easy? What’s some good examples for this?
We always think a good tip to save stress is to have one pre prepped cold course. Whether that's a salad you just need to add some flourishes to before it lands on the table or a panna cotta that you made the night before, having that extra time (and oven space) can be so helpful.
Should you have back up food in case yours goes wrong?
Let's not tempt fate! But a cheese board is a great thing to have up your sleeve, along with chutneys, pickles and crackers. You can pretend that was always going to be dessert if you burn the creme brûlées or if your ice cream doesn't set! No one needs to know.
If you’ve buggered up is it best to let people know or try and cover it up?
When you have enough wines it always comes out doesn't it! But just remember only you know what the plan was, no one knows you were supposed to have that side dish that you forgot about and left in the fridge!
Is there one dish you guys do that slays every time?
We like to mix it up. Having people over is a nice opportunity to try something that might feel a bit too extravagant for only 2 or 3 of you.
Have you ever had anyone complain about the food? If so how do you deal?
Not yet. But let's never say never. We always look at the plates to see if anyone has left anything! We're pretty obsessive.
When the meal’s done – do you retire to the living room? Is that too Downton Abbey? Should you stay at the table?
There are no rules. If everyone is having fun around the table, great! If everyone had seconds and the thirds and need a soft seat and some looser trousers, that's fine too!
Watch My Pop-Up Restaurant on All4 now
You might also be interested in:
Make A Healthy 90-Calorie Egg White Omelette In 2 Minutes Flat
Bulletproof Coffee: An Idiot’s Guide To What It Is And What To Do With It
Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.