Throwing a dinner party is a way to connect. Rookies, don’t be intimidated

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Kim Cook of APNews.com shares practical tips and inspiring stories to help you host a stress-free and memorable dinner party.

When Sarah Bellinger, a Gen Z public relations executive, decided to throw her first dinner party, she invited just five friends and served her go-to recipe: a creamy Tuscan chicken pasta.

“I wasn’t nervous, because it was just a small group of my closest friends, but I was definitely very excited. It felt like the most adult thing I did all month,” said Bellinger, who lives in East Hartford, Connecticut.

The evening was a success, she says, and the cooking was easy, though there was a little more chopping prep than she’d anticipated. “I realized I probably should have done that before they came, but I used that hindsight for the next time I did a dinner,” she said.

Or take the case of Anita Michaud, 25, who moved to Brooklyn Heights, New York, in 2021 for work. It was a challenge to find new friends. So she started advertising her idea for a “ Dinner With Friends ” on social media. The 8– to 10-person themed events held in hosts’ homes now have wait lists in the hundreds.

Throwing a dinner party — anything from a pot of chili to a multi-course feast — is a great way to build social connections, at a time when that can be hard to do. There’s something about preparing and sharing a meal that bonds people.

If you’re just starting out, have no fear

You might not be ready for Michaud’s level of dinner partying, but with some simple planning and a little effort, hosting your first group nosh needn’t be daunting.

Remember: You’re inviting friends — they already like you. You’re doing it in your own place; you know your way around. And you’re not trying to be Gatsby — it’s supper with your besties. Just take it easy.