Whether it’s a long, lazy dinner by the flicker of citronella candlelight or a post-work apéro on the terrace, summer entertaining is in full swing, and we’ve enlisted the help of the most stylish hosts we know to serve up their party tricks. Pour yourself a Campari soda and settle in—it’s Aperitivo Hour.
“Potlucks are the enemy,” says Tessa Tran. “When you’re invited to my house, I take care of you—if I’m hosting, I’m hosting!” The CEO and creative director of Chan Luu is also, as anyone who follows her knows, a prolific cook, accenting her feed of silk-chiffon clothing and playful charms with the occasional photo of Basque cheesecake, sweet and sour fish soup, and chou farci.
The Hosting Outfit
“Hosting is a sport; you’re basically an athlete. You need to balance good timing, handle hazardously hot pans, reach, cook, multitask, socialize… all at once. I’m not a particularly messy cook and don’t worry much about a spill or splatter, and I like dressing up even when I’m cooking.
If I could steal anyone’s hosting uniform, it might be Thomas Keller’s all-white outfit with wooden clogs or Miuccia Prada’s simple sweater and skirt combo with lots of jewels. But I live by the beach now, so I’m leaning into surf style. I changed into the board shorts 10 minutes before guests arrived and added crystal Manolo Blahnik flats to elevate it from casual to cocktail. If I’m wearing shorts, I like to cover my arms with a long sleeve, like this light knit from Francie.”
Tabletop Heroes
“We use antique Haviland porcelain plates almost every day. I prefer antique plates; the proportions are smaller. Plates today keep getting bigger and food doesn’t need all that real estate! We use Mepra utensils every day and sometimes swap with the colorful Matilda Goad set depending on the meal. I collect all kinds of table accessories—including chopstick sets from all over the world. Tiny objects make me irrationally happy.”
What’s on the Menu
“There’s always a hero dish; the splashy new recipe I want to cook. Everything else depends on what I find at the market that week. Last week was the beginning of shelling bean season, so I came home with cranberry beans, Dragon Tongues, and King beans after Jason from Yao Cheng Farm convinced me they were ‘the king of all beans.’ I had planned to serve smashed potatoes with a tomahawk steak, but one look at my fridge full of beans changed my mind. I turned them into a warm salad using bone broth I had bought for a Milanese-style saffron risotto I never ended up making. That’s how my menus come together—one ingredient leads to the next.
I like a table with something hot, something cold, something naked, something dressed, something sweet, and something sour. This dinner also included roasted pattypan squash (I always make one dish with no salt), a tomato salad with five different kinds of tomatoes (two came from my garden), and a warm baby bok choy salad roasted whole. I don’t really plan menus in advance. I buy what looks beautiful, see what’s ready to pick in the garden, and figure it out later.”
Drinks Station
“The older you get, the thinner your glassware becomes. I learned that pretty early and registered for 50 Zalto wine glasses when I got married. For cocktail hour, I like to start with a Campari spritz (adding a green olive to give it a Venetian twist); it gets everyone in the mood. Then we move to wine. My go-tos are Dulan Chenin Blanc and Turley Zinfandel Rosé, Trombetta Chardonnay, and Ghia Spritz for a non-alcoholic option.”
All in the Details
“I never use scented candles on the dinner table or near the kitchen. Instead, I have a terracotta pomegranate on the coffee table, which is just enough scent to waft through the room without overpowering it. This summer, I’ve been obsessing over oversized sunflowers—they’re even more beautiful once the petals start to fall. The scene becomes sculptural and moody. On the dining table, I keep arrangements sparse so guests can see one another. A few calla lilies arranged ikebana style are what I went with for this dinner.
One of my favorite hosting ideas came from a stay at Les Manibelles, a charming bed and breakfast in Amarans, France: They kept beautiful crystal jars filled with candy throughout the house. Now we bring sweets home from our travels and leave them in bowls on the kitchen counter for guests. Carambars from France, Meiji chocolates from Japan, Kopiko coffee candy from Korea, Amarelli black licorice from Italy… you’d be surprised how much the adults love them just as much as the kids. I keep them in porcelain urchins I bought from an artist living in the South of France.”
Dinner Party Dos & Don’ts
“Arriving empty-handed. It’s never about the money; something thoughtful, like a basket of lemons from your tree, is a perfect host gift!”
“Country, jazz, and some early 2000s throwbacks.”
“Coming up with the right guest list is like getting dressed. You start with the good ol’ standbys–the friends you know you’ll have a great time with. Then, layer in a few newer friends, and finally, someone unexpected. The mix always results in a memorable night. It can be boring when everyone is too similar and too familiar.”
“You can’t reduce stress. I like a little bit of hosting anxiety. It means you care.”
