As things start to open up again, we’re all dreaming of hosting our friends and family for a delicious meal. While we might not be able to have a big party yet, pandemic life doesn’t have to mean no socializing — we just have to do it from a distance.
Put your chef hat on and get your creativity flowing by hosting a virtual dinner party on Zoom with a South Asian twist!
You can start by sending your guests a list of ingredients or even package the ingredients together in a picnic basket and drop it on their front step.
Then, take these steps to make it feel like an elegant evening at home.
Table of Contents
Pick a Theme
Are you going fancy or casual? Candlelit or overhead lights? Smooth jazz or rock and roll? By setting the mood beforehand, your guests can plan their dining area (and attire!) appropriately. It might be online but that doesn’t mean it can’t be special.
Plan your Meal
For your first dinner party starting with an easy dish or dessert is a good jumping off point. We think Tandoori Mac and Cheese will suit everyone’s taste buds (including any kids sitting in on the party). With a simple ingredient list, this meal will be quick and easy for you and your guests to prepare. If you’re also looking for a sweet treat, National’s Vanilla Custard Cake will wow everyone’s taste buds.
Timing
Decide if you will cook together or if everything will be ready at start time.
Some friendly competition is fun too, see who can set the most elaborate or themed table setting and have a vote on who did it best!
Cater to Dietary Needs
The great thing about a virtual dinner party is that everyone can make the dish according to their own preference. Have a vegetarian in the group? Substitute tofu for chicken. If you like lots of spice, add some extra National ginger garlic paste, tandoori masala or green chilli sauce to your dish.
Keep the Conversation Flowing
Even if you’re meeting with long-time friends, virtual conversations can get stilted. Some topics of conversation to keep things flowing: Funniest thing to happen on a virtual call this year, favourite pandemic read or what you’re currently binging on Netflix.
Relax, Enjoy and Have Fun!
The best part of a dinner party…the company. A virtual dinner party is a low key (and safe!) way to see your friends and enjoy some food together. Remember, everyone is there because they want to see you, so make sure to enjoy yourself and make some memories. By 2030, you’ll be telling stories about in 2021 when you hosted dinner parties, you only had to clean what was in camera view.