’Tis the season for holiday entertaining, and we’ve enlisted the help of the most stylish hosts we know to serve up their party tricks for a holiday hosting mini-series. Dress code festive, RSVP requested. À Table!
More low-key than a sprawling celebration, more elegant (not to mention, mysteriously French) than a regular happy hour, the dînatoire may just be the perfect form of the holiday party. Part cocktail hour, part dinner, it’s a laid-back approach to gathering where grazing is encouraged and stuffiness stays at the door with your shoes. It also happens to be Tara Thomas’s preferred method of entertaining. “I’m team dînatoire,” says the chef and culinary producer. “The holiday season is filled with so many soirées; this allows a moment for people to stop by for a drink and a bite for quality time, and those who stay, a long and nourishing night.”
Her top tip for stress-free hosting? “Not hosting at your home,” she says. Her most recent event took place in Apt 7x, a fully furnished Brooklyn apartment that provided the canvas for her creativity. From there, her setting is all about little pops of luxury: A cheeseboard, artfully arranged on an onyx platter; a saturated, moody floral arrangement spilling out of a gold-rimmed Aerin vase; heaping caviar served on a Caviar Kaspia ashtray—Thomas recently came back from France and felt inspired.
All set around a low-frame coffee table with flickering taper candles and wafting incense, it’s an inviting scene that encourages guests to linger. “My favorite part: Shoes off for a cozy and grounded vibe,” explains Thomas. “Florals, linen, and make magic!”
Ahead, take a peek at the chef’s holiday dinner party and get some inspiration for your own relaxed dînatoire.
Photography by Marisa Langley
Tabletop Heroes
“First of all, the fabulous Lu table by Eny Lee Parker is perfect for a grounded celebration. For this soirée, I didn’t do a table cloth; I layered with black leather placemats and napkins, which makes cleaning up so easy. Keeping an open canvas allows me to layer lots of elements to make it my own. I also love to do a few tapered candles—my favorites are from Mrs. Alice.”
Photography by Marisa Langley
The Hosting Outfit
“Flowy and breezy is essential for hosting because I’m going to be moving more than anyone else. I like to wear blacks and browns to hide any potential spills; and for the holidays, a touch of sequins.”
Photography by Marisa Langley
Photography by Marisa Langley
Florals First
“I approach a tablescape by starting with the florals. I’ve been loving this FDK arrangement kit that I can assemble myself. It adds a meditative moment in the chaos of preparing for a party, and is composed of locally farmed branches and blooms that speaks so poetically to the season we’re in. And I love Aerin’s Rimara vase for a floral arrangement!”
Photography by Marisa Langley
What’s on the Menu
“For a dînatoire, the rule is that drinks stay full and food keeps coming, from light bites to heavy hitters. As guests arrived, I served Champs-Élysées cocktails with a table of Bison Corndog embellished with honey mustard and chives, caviar paired with sweet potato chips, and a glamorous cheese board. For the dinner part, duck confit, a kabocha squash stuffed with biryani and roasted till it’s tender, and winter greens. I think cooking for a crowd is so exciting, and since there’s often leftovers I can perform my favorite ritual: packing and walking extra ingredients, produce, and unused things in my pantry to my local community fridge by One Love Community Fridge.”
Photography by Marisa Langley
Photography by Marisa Langley
Cocktail Hour
“I don’t think Gen Z does the bar cart—I’m a drink station gal. You can transform any surface in to a bar with the right materials. A good tray, ice bucket, shaker, jigger; boom, let’s stay hydrated! I love to make a signature cocktail, so for this I made a Champs-Élysées. I like to keep my bar tight for the night so also along with my signature cocktail, a fabulous bottle of Amaro, Seventy One Gin, and bitters and liqueurs decanted into glass bottles.”
Dinner Party Dos & Don’ts
The Faux Pas…
No shoes in the house, I’m sorry. Also, if you have allergies or dietary preferences, let the host know before 48 hours—don’t be a diva. If you have a lot of allergies, bring something to share that you can have!
The Party Playlist…
I like to start off with some vibes off my cozy Shabby Chic playlist, then maybe get into a dancing-singing moment, so lots of Madonna, Rihanna… iconic vibes.
The Guest List…
I think of my best friends and the people who I haven’t spent enough time with but who give me a good feeling.
The Stress-Reducing Secret…
Stay nourished, stay hydrated, take my Moon Juice Superyou, and at the end, drink my Dr. Stolberg Rest + Digest Tea. You as a host with the vision can’t do it alone; community is everything, so have a team of folks who support your hosting. The party is about the collective experience!