The Secret to Hosting a Great Dinner Party, According to Lizzy Hadfield
The style tastemaker shares her foolproof formula for entertaining — and the one thing she never forgets.
There’s nothing quite like a good meal and a glass of wine (or two) to bring people together – as Virginia Woolf once said, “a good dinner is of great importance to good talk.” And it’s true – the mood of a meal often sets the tone for the night. That sentiment came to life at style muse Lizzy Hadfield’s East London home on Wednesday night, when she hosted some of her nearest and dearest in celebration of our Les Fruits tableware launch.
The meal, crafted by culinary artist Posie Hall, was enough to spark laughter, fuel conversation (and even stop it mid-sentence) – made with seasonal ingredients inspired by the namesakes of our Les Fruits collection – Citron, Tomate, Fraise, and Olive. But beyond the show-stopping food, the atmosphere was pure magic – jubilant, relaxed, and effortlessly intimate. We’ll have more to share from this special night in the coming week, but for now, we’re sitting down with Lizzy to get her secrets to hosting a truly unforgettable dinner party.
One thing we learned during our The Makers series home tour with Lizzy earlier this year is that her home feels like a sanctuary – relaxed, calming and effortless. She’s constantly attentive to the needs of her guests, but never at the expense of her own enjoyment. “Make sure you have space to enjoy yourself too,” she advised. “If you’re relaxed, then your guests will be. Prep as much as you can beforehand, and remember nothing has to be overly fancy!” After all, your house doesn’t need to be transformed to feel welcoming. Lizzy suggests keeping things simple – a few thoughtful spruces go a long way. “Apart from a quick tidy-up, I leave everything as it is,” she says. “I think stepping into a home that feels lived in (little piles of clutter in the corner included) makes people feel more relaxed, too.”
Another thing we learned about Lizzy when we visited her home in Hackney is just how fond she is of a cup of tea – and the quiet power of a warm brew for putting people at ease. This same instinct extends to her approach when hosting a dinner party. According to Lizzy, handing your guest a drink is a sure-fire way to make them feel instantly at home: “Hand them a brew, a wine, or just water – and tell them to make themselves comfortable, or ‘sit soft’ as me and my friends like to call it!” says Lizzy.
When it comes to the little details that make a big difference to a table setting, it’s all about the atmosphere. “Fresh flowers are always a beautiful touch – they bring instant color and life to the table,” she says. Match the hues in your bouquets to the colors in your linen tableware to make the whole setting feel considered and cohesive.
We’re all familiar with the pre-hosting jitters – making sure you’ve remembered to chill the wine, set the table, and light a candle or two before guests arrive. To ease the nerves, Lizzy swears by a good playlist. “I have numerous ‘evening’ playlists that I’ve made over the years, and I love adding to them. Nothing sets the mood quite like good music!” She also recommends having the playlist queued up and playing before anyone knocks on the door – it sets the tone instantly.
To make sure you’re staying present and enjoying yourself, Lizzy points to three key ingredients: a low-maintenance meal, a nice glass of wine, and good company. “There’s nothing to be stressed about amongst friends – they’re not going to care if something is a little burnt, or a place setting is askew,” she reassures.
Finally, her number one rule for creating the perfect mood for your next dinner party? “Don’t put the big light on!! That’s the only rule I have at home.”
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