Gourmet Dinner Club

Craving good food and good company? It's easy and fun to host gourmet dinner parties. All you need is a group of friends, a well-planned menu, and a little creativity.

Use these tips as a guide to creating a successful dinner club:

Organize a group
First, decide whom you want to invite and the overall club objective.

Is it a group of professional singles that want to network and meet new people? Are you looking for a great way to meet other couples in your neighborhood? Or do you want to surround yourself with friends and family?

After you've focused on a goal, call everyone you know who shares your passion for cooking, eating, and socializing.

Create the rules
Once you've developed a list of potential members, set up a meeting time to get acquainted with the group, discuss a possible schedule, and establish some informal rules, such as how often dinners will occur and who will host the dinners.

Our rules for a gourmet dinner club

Dream up themes
Create a calendar with themed menus so members can be adventurous and show off their culinary skills.

Celebrate international cuisine by experimenting with new recipes focused around a central idea. For example, create a memorable evening on safari to South Africa or on the beach with a poolside party.

Plan the menus
Make your menus simple or fancy. Cocktails, appetizers, three or four entrées, at least two desserts — put them all on the menu.

Ask group members to contribute their favorite recipes and divvy up the cooking responsibilities.

For inspiration, purchase a cookbook that has recipes from around the world or search our recipes.

Be prepared
Gather all the equipment you need (utensils, large cooking pots, coffee makers).

If you can't seat attending members comfortably at a table, set up smaller folding tables or consider a buffet-style meal.

Reduce costs by creating an equipment lending list that contains essential items that members are willing to share.

Send the invitations
As the dinner date approaches, send out invitations to remind members about this special occasion.

Enjoy
All that's left to do is gather around the table for food, fun, and conversation.