A Simple Dinner Party Experience for 12 Guests

Planning Your Dinner Party

Let me quickly walk you through a simple dinner party. This post covers a 3-course meal and some canapés for 12 guests. It’s important to know what to expect.

Arriving Early

We typically arrive 90 minutes before your guests. I introduce myself and the two members of the service team. We will ask you to show us around the kitchen and dining area. We’ll also discuss where you’d like the canapés to be served.

Unloading and Preparing

Next, we unload all the food and equipment. We cover the counter surfaces we’ll be using. After that, we have an additional briefing with the service team.

We divide tasks for efficiency. I prepare the food and kitchen area for service. Meanwhile, the service team polishes the cutlery, crockery, and glassware. They also set the table. White linen napkins are folded and placed at each setting, alongside your personalized menus. The service team leader will check on the drinks we will serve with the canapés and dinner.

Toasting with Champagne

Finally, at the agreed time, we pop the cork on your champagne. We pour it into our glasses, which are placed on sparkling silver trays. We then whisk them away to greet you and your guests.

Trays of canapés are served in waves. We ensure that we provide neatly folded cocktail napkins, keeping glasses topped up throughout the service.

Seating for Dinner

After about 30 minutes, we welcome you to the dining area. It’s time to be seated for dinner. The first wine is poured, accompanied by water and warm homemade sourdough. This is served with our homemade yuzu and herb butter, followed by your starters.

During the canapé service, the team identifies guests with pre-arranged dietary requirements. They make sure these guests receive the adjusted dish. We eliminate any need for guests to raise their hands or for the team to ask them to identify themselves at the table.

Introducing the Courses

Before seating you for dinner, we always check with the host. Would you like me to introduce the courses? If so, I will step into the dining room and do so for each course!

Ensuring Satisfaction

A few minutes after the starters are served, a member of the service team returns. They check in with you and your guests to ensure everything is satisfactory. We want to make sure everyone is enjoying the food and their experience. This is very important to our team, as we are passionate about providing the best service.

Transitioning Between Courses

Once starters are finished, the team clears the plates. They also make any cutlery changes required ahead of serving the main course. We pour your next wine, refill the water glasses, and offer more bread while clearing any finished glassware.

Main courses are served next. The same format is followed with check-backs and wine glasses being topped up. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, it’s full steam ahead! Plates are washed, dried, rewrapped, and packed away alongside equipment that’s now finished with.

Dessert Preparation

Once the main course is finished, all plates are cleared. Side plates, butter dishes, and dessert cutlery are laid out. We then top up wine glasses again before serving dessert.

Behind the scenes, all equipment is packed away. Finished glassware is removed, cutlery is counted, and boxes are packed. We clean the benches, replacing any objects we’ve moved.

Wrapping Up the Evening

Once we are finished, we clear the dessert plates. Final washing and packing are completed behind the scenes. We reload the van, empty rubbish bins, and take our rubbish away (we always make sure not to leave your bins full!). The floor is swept, and final checks are carried out to ensure we leave everything gleaming.

Thanking Your Guests

Finally, we pop back into the dining room to thank everyone and answer any questions about the menu or food. We then bid you good night.

We aim to be driving away no longer than 30 minutes after clearing desserts. I really like to give you privacy and not make you feel like we are overlooking you and your guests once dinner service is over.

Usually, the timeline for a 3-course dinner like this will take around 90 minutes from seating to dessert being served. It generally takes us about 2 hours to wave goodbye. So, we will be in your home for a total of about 4-4.5 hours.

I look forward to hopefully cooking for you in person soon!

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