Be Our Guest! How to Host a Beauty & the Beast Extravaganza

Cooking just became a little more enchanted! Meet our new, limited-edition Beauty and the Beast chef’s oven by Le Creuset, created exclusively for Williams Sonoma in honor of the new Disney film Beauty and the Beast. This vibrant blue enameled pot spells magic with a red rose lid and golden knob engraved with the words “be our guest”—and it’s a treat for all fans of Belle and her classic fairy tale.

 

Celebrate the forthcoming movie by hosting your very own French feast: Invite friends to come over and enjoy a culinary cabaret inspired by the song “Be Our Guest.” Set out your best candlesticks, put on the Disney soundtrack in the background, and encourage all the mademoiselles and messieurs in your life to relax, pull up a chair and enjoy a French-themed feast (sans the grey stuff!).

Hot Hors d’Oeuvres: Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Offer guests a glass of your favorite French red wine (our personal choice: a Cru Beaujolais) alongside a simple yet satisfying hot hors d’oeuvre: bacon-wrapped dates. Make these bacon-wrapped bites yourself, or make it easier on yourself by ordering our ready-made version (which includes a blue cheese stuffing) and popping them in the oven just before guests come over.

Soupe du Jour: French Onion Soup

Make your soupe du jour a rustic French countryside classic: onion soup. For added charm, serve the rich combination of caramelized yellow onions, beef stock and sharp Swiss cheese in individual crocks.

Cheese Soufflé: Gruyère and Parmesan Soufflé

To ensure a fluffy, well-risen cheese soufflé, Lumière the candlestick would surely offer this tip: Butter the rim of the mold well, and mix one-third of the whites into the sauce, while still hot, before folding the sauce into the remaining whites.

Beef Ragout: Braised Beef with Cipollini Onions, Shiitakes and Olives

A ragoût—a thick, rich stew of meat that’s often made with vegetables—should be the star of the evening. Prepare the pièce de résistance in our Le Creuset Beauty and the Beast chef’s oven, and bring the entire pot to the table so you can uncover it table side for dramatic effect. We love a version of braised beef made modern with cipollini onions, shiitake mushrooms in place of creminis, and piquant olives.

Pie: Blackberry-Apple Pie

Close out the meal with with an old-fashioned double-crust pie, like this from-scratch blackberry-apple version. Serve freshly-brewed tea to go along with dessert (bonus points from Mrs. Potts if you pull out your best ceramic teapot!).