I want to start hosting more, but I’m not a great cook

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the key is to provide enough food and to provide options, I would do more than one appetizer and more than one side dish. Something like the taco bar someone suggested is a good way to go.

What? No, this is the opposite of what I would suggest. OP should pick one main dish, one veggie side, and one starch. And practice the recipes twice beforehand. For the main, pick a braised or slow-cooked meat. VERY hard to mess that up. Braise short ribs, salad, crusty baguette, and you’re done.

I think that works if you're hosting people with similar preferences. I find that i'm balancing so many dietary preferences restrictions these days (picky kids, grownups who are low-carb, vegetarians, gluten free, religious restrictions for pork or beef) that braised short ribs would not work at all when I host. People just seem happier in general to choose their own stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the key is to provide enough food and to provide options, I would do more than one appetizer and more than one side dish. Something like the taco bar someone suggested is a good way to go.

What? No, this is the opposite of what I would suggest. OP should pick one main dish, one veggie side, and one starch. And practice the recipes twice beforehand. For the main, pick a braised or slow-cooked meat. VERY hard to mess that up. Braise short ribs, salad, crusty baguette, and you’re done.

I think that works if you're hosting people with similar preferences. I find that i'm balancing so many dietary preferences restrictions these days (picky kids, grownups who are low-carb, vegetarians, gluten free, religious restrictions for pork or beef) that braised short ribs would not work at all when I host. People just seem happier in general to choose their own stuff.

DP. I totally understand this, but it gets exhausting fast to deal with multiple restrictive diets as a host. I tend to go out to restaurants with people who have these issues, especially if there are multiple and contrasting things to deal with (one low carb, one vegetarian, etc.). Thankfully most of my friends eat everything or have a few restrictions that are easy to work around, like no pork. I wouldn’t assume most people are cooking for a crowd with a bunch of restrictions.