8 Holiday Hosting Tips People Learned from Their Caribbean Grandmas

My grandmother was born in Ayiti, and whether it’s Christmas or Haiti’s Independence Day, she always gathers my entire family in her home to break bread and, most importantly, come together. While no Caribbean island is the same, many elders from this region share one special characteristic — their unwavering ability to bring folks together for a good time. 

Over the years, there have been countless moments when I have had to host holiday celebrations, and let me tell you — it’s not easy. I have to praise the matriarchs in my family because trying to perfect diri djon djon (a classic Haitian rice dish), getting the house spotless before guests arrive, and ensuring everyone has a good time takes a lot of effort. If you’re in a position where you have to take on this role for the first time, you may be feeling the stress, too. So, to help, I compiled a list of hosting tips from chefs and restaurateurs from the Caribbean diaspora to share the entertaining secrets that they’ve gleaned from their grandmothers (I also sprinkled in some tips that I learned from my Haitian mam’ma too!). Here’s everything you need to know. 

Between grocery shopping and tidying up the house, if you try to tackle the task of cooking an entire spread, not only will you be exhausted, but you will also drain your energy and have none left to have a good time with your loved ones. “Choose recipes that allow for components to be prepped in advance — like sauces, dressings, and sides,” says Ed Harris, a chef with roots in St. Lucia. If you plan on serving plantains, consider peeling and chopping them the night before. That way, you can save time the day of and just reserve a few minutes for frying right before you serve dinner. 

While you may feel the temptation to try something new to impress your guests, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to the basics and cooking the family recipes you’re most comfortable with. For example, Dr. Jeanine Prime, a restaurateur with roots in Trinidad and Tobago, says that she makes her grandmother’s sweet bread (a baked good filled with shredded coconut, dried fruit, and warm spices) for the holidays. Preparing dishes — whether the main, side, or dessert — that you’re familiar with helps eliminate the stress and pressure of tackling a new culinary project you’ve never taken on before.

Contrary to what food safety experts say, if you step into any Caribbean household, you’ll find someone’s grandma “washing” their meat before any holiday get-together, explains Devan Rajkumar, a chef with Guyanese roots. This process involves soaking ingredients like raw chicken or beef in ice-cold water with a splash of lime juice or vinegar (and, of course, cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces afterward!). For many people across the diaspora, this eliminates any unpleasant tastes that may have come from the meat’s packaging. It also helps to tenderize the meat so that once it gets cooked, it has that fall-off-the-bone appeal that you experience in dishes like stewed oxtail or comforting curry.  

In my family, a Haitian holiday dinner is never complete without a side of rice. Whether that’s diri djon djon (a Black trumpet mushroom-packed rice), white rice with sos pwa (a creamy black or kidney bean sauce), or, most commonly, diri kole ak pwa (rice with kidney beans seasoned with a Haitian herb-infused marinade), my grandmother always makes sure there’s a hearty serving available for us all to dig into (and take home as leftovers!). You can never go wrong with this ultra-comforting dish; it’s vegetarian, sometimes vegan, and gluten-free, so if you aren’t privy to your guests’ food allergies, at least you’ll know that there is something they can dig into. 

Instead of stressing about how to gather everyone at one table (especially if you have a large guest list!), try curating a self-serve spread, explains Harris. You can lay out platters and servingware, fill them with your food, and then have plates and cutlery available for people to grab and use. This buffet-style approach is also helpful if you have folks coming in and out at different times so that people can help themselves once they arrive.

While I’ve barely ever seen my grandmother imbibe in libations, you’ll always find a bottle of Barbancourt rum on my family’s table during festive get-togethers, complete with a good playlist in the background. Wray & Nephew is a must-have in rum punch or sorrel drinks at festive Jamaican functions. And during the holidays, a Puerto Rican celebration isn’t complete without a glass of creamy coquito.

Dessert is your blank canvas; this is where you should show off a bit. Dr. Prime says her grandmother was never afraid to add her personal touch to her famous Trinidadian sweet bread, like folding shredded coconut and sultanas (golden raisins) into the batter before baking. You can also visit a Caribbean bakery, pick up a rum cake, and then upgrade the flavor even more at home by making a zesty lime whipped cream to serve with it for a sort-of-homemade sweet treat. 

Before my family digs into any celebratory dinner, my Haitian grandmother always gathers us to give thanks (if you’re religious this may look like saying grace!), and honor each other and any loved ones who have passed away. With so many tasks involved in entertaining during the holidays, this may be the most important one to remember. This tradition helps ground everyone in gratitude and reminds us to appreciate these precious moments we get to spend with our people.