Do You Serve Dinner Immediately After Your Guests Arrive?

Dana Velden
Dana Velden
Dana Velden's first book, Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook (Rodale Books) is available where ever books are sold. She lives in Oakland, CA.
published May 4, 2012
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

The other day I went to a friend’s home for dinner. After greeting me at the door, she took my jacket and lead me … straight to the dining room table. Within five minutes of arriving, I was eating the first course of our dinner. I have to confess, I found this a little disorientating.

I’m not saying she was wrong, it’s just that I’m used to being offered something to drink when I first arrive and then either sitting in the living room or at least hanging out in the kitchen for a few minutes. Heading straight to the dining room meant I hadn’t been given a chance to make the transition from the hustle and bustle of arriving to the more contained and intimate activities of sitting around the table.

My friend’s different hospitality style really highlighted to me how important that transition time is. Especially if you live in an urban area where the commute can be crowded, intense, and quite public, it helps to have a buffer zone where guests can shed that experience and relax into the more personal and private event of a dinner party.

How about you? Do you plan for at least a few minutes of drinks and chit-chat before serving dinner?

(Oh and no, I wasn’t late!)

Related: Why Monday May be the Best Evening for a Dinner Party

(Image: Dana Velden)

Filed in:
etiquette