How to Host a Digital Dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party… virtually? Given the (smart) prevalence of the #stayhome and #flattenthecurve movement, with people practicing social distancing, it’s officially a thing. Folks are propping up their phones and laptops, tablets and monitors, and connecting with their friends over food… from much more than six feet away!

It’s such a great move, eliminating loneliness and hunger in one fell swoop, so we had to reach out to some of our favorite bloggers and Instagrammers to find out how they make it as wonderful as a night curled up in front of a favorite film.

Deana Saukam, Food & Travel Blogger, Faim Fatale

How do you schedule your digital dinner parties? Any ways to make that fun?

I reach out to my friends who I chat with regularly and ask them what’s on their menu for the day/night and we share recipes and shopping lists. We get excited about cooking and eating together “digitally” and what we’re watching too (aka “Tiger King” or catching up on any missed “90 Day Fiancé’) so we can chat about all of it.

How do you plan your menu?

I’m a total nerd – I “opened a quarantine cafe” with my own “restaurant menu” that I put together, listing all of the dishes with descriptions that I have planned during the quarantine/social distancing (based on my most recent shopping trip and what’s still available in my pantry of course), and I “order” from the menu. This way it never feels dull or gets boring or repetitive, and there’s variety!

Any other ideas for making a digital dinner party just as fun and meaningful as an IRL connection?

Dress up even though you’re still at home, be present, laugh, have fun and be yourself!

Gaby Dalkin, Blogger (What’s Gaby Cooking?) and Cookbook Author

How do you schedule your digital dinner parties? Any ways to make that fun? 

Pick a time and send a Zoom invite! Do it either with the kids or after they go to bed so you get some adult-only time. And always serve a cocktail. (I just launched three mixes with Williams Sonoma but am also always down for a margarita!) Assign each of your friends with a specific part of the meal so everyone has something to contribute. Or better yet, pick a simple menu and have all your friends make the same thing as you so you can enjoy together but separately. 😂 

It can be less pressure to do something that’s not a full-blown “dinner party.” Any other fun ideas?

Dessert and cocktails has been my go-to this week because I need all the cookies! But take the temp of your friends and see how aggressive people want to be with menu planning.

Justin Chapple, Cookbook Author and Culinary Director at Large, Food & Wine

How do you schedule your digital dinner parties? Any ways to make that fun? 

Honestly, group chats have become one of the best parts of the day, and the easiest way to organize. A bunch of my friends have had a thread called “misc chat” for months now and we just renamed it “💪🏻 I Will Survive 💪🏻”. Not only has this thread been the best way to schedule chats, but it’s our collective outlet for boosting all of our moods.  

Any tech tips?

I bought an iPhone tripod so I can video chat anywhere in my home although it definitely gets most used in the kitchen. Additionally, it makes it easier to be near a router, helping just a bit if the internet slows. 

How do you plan your menu?

I feel like planning an entire menu can be too much pressure, especially knowing it’s not easy to get out in the world to shop. My friends and I mostly do happy hour with snacks. Some of us will make a small batch of spiced nuts while others will put together a crudités platter. Me? I order dozens of oysters online and allow myself to shuck one dozen per day. 

 Maria Lichty, Cookbook Author, @twopeasandpod 

Should there be a menu? If so, how do you plan your menu?

If you want to do a menu, keep it SUPER simple! You can also do a theme night….Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Breakfast for Dinner, 5 Ingredient Recipes, Pantry Staples, Pizza Friday, etc. Everyone brings their favorite dish to “share.” You can talk about the recipes together and share the recipes after! 

Any other ideas for making a digital dinner party just as fun and meaningful as an IRL connection?

Come up with fun dinner questions…This or That, Would You Rather, 3 Lies and a Truth, Truth or Dare, etc. These questions/little games can keep the interaction fun and light hearted instead of talking about all of the stressful things happening in the world right now. 

Eden Passante, Blogger, Sugar & Charm

How do you schedule your digital dinner parties? Any ways to make that fun? 

To make it fun, send out an Evite or Paperless Posts with the date and time on them! Have your friends RSVP and add the meeting ID link to the invitation so guests can click it to “attend” the party! As the host, add a few decorations to your space that goes with the party theme. Depending on the digital party you can have flowers, streamers or even balloons! You can create your own grocery store flower arrangement with these tips.

Furthermore, host a digital birthday party! Have streamers and a cake to sing “happy birthday.” If you really want to go the extra mile, send the special guests a birthday cake and candles a few days before the party date. They can enjoy while you all celebrate. Williams Sonoma delivers the BEST cakes!

It can be less pressure to do something that’s not a full-blown “dinner party”… any other fun ideas?

Cocktail hour or coffee meet-up! There are so many themes you can choose for a digital party. Here are a few more fun ideas:

Classic Cocktail Hour: Invite each guests to make a classic cocktail at home, then meet up for happy hour, chats and to talk about what you made. In the Evite, give a list of ideas for guests to make like a classic Negroni, Old-Fashioned, Paloma or a Manhattan.

Digital Travel Party: Since Zoom allows you to add backgrounds to your meeting, have guests pick a photo or video of their favorite place to travel and make a cocktail or food dish from that region. It’s a fun way to explore the world, digitally, with your friends! 

Digital Tea Party Make a cup of your favorite tea, cookies and little sandwiches. You can make it fun by wearing tea party hats! 

Digital Wine and Charcuterie Party: When it’s wine o’clock, gather with your friends via Zoom or Google and enjoy an evening glass of wine and charcuterie. Before the hangout, send tips for making a delicious charcuterie board and where you can order special meats and cheese.

Digital Game Night: Get your friends together for drinks, appetizers and GAMES! Quizzes, bingo or even just karaoke! If you want to make it competitive, add digital gift card prizes!

Digital Band Party: My husband has been doing a digital band, they all hang out, have drinks and jam. It’s hilarious but they all love it.

Josh Young, Designer, Josh Yöung Design House

How do you schedule your digital dinner parties? Any ways to make that fun? 

Create a theme and agree on a set menu to make and enjoy together, virtually. Dress up or dress down according to your party plans! Try a Great Gatsby theme where you can get dressed up (something we all haven’t done for some weeks now) or dress down for dinner in pajamas.

Any tech tips?

I’m the least tech savvy person you’ll ever meet. That’s why FaceTime is my go to! 

Any other ideas for making a digital dinner party just as fun and meaningful as an IRL connection?

Plan a “Breakfast in Bed” theme party, but do it for dinner! Bring out all your favorite china, tea sets, silverware and really zhoosh it up. Make it feel like you’re in a fancy hotel together.