The Dinner Party is Dead. Long Live the Dinner

Once upon a time, receiving an invitation to a dinner party would have filled me with dread. In my mind’s eye: stiff white tablecloths, etiquette, place cards, coq au vin and forced conversation with serious grown-ups. In short, profoundly uncool; to be avoided at all costs. Yet today, I can’t imagine a more wonderful way to spend a Saturday night. So, what’s changed?

Over the past few years, a new generation of tastemakers has staked a claim on ‘the dinner’. Stuffy traditions and rigid formality be gone, they’re ushering in childlike playfulness, fresh and unexpected takes, plus luxury touches beyond what most of us could possibly expect. Think: characterful tablescapes scattered with antique glassware, vintage tablecloths and plates collected from far-flung travels, artfully arranged food and drink displays, private chefs plucked from the world’s buzziest restaurants, bespoke florals, transportive scents, and above all, a glittering, convivial atmosphere full of joy and free-flowing conversation. Naturally, everyone wants a seat at those tables.

For Marie-Louise Sciò, CEO of Pellicano Hotels, creative director and host of countless legendary dinners, “the most memorable are the ones with warmth, personality and a strong sense of occasion”. Rather than following a fixed formula, the best soirées should have their own unique identity. A dinner celebrating the iconic Il Pellicano Hotel’s 60th anniversary, for example, featured an epic, “Marie Antoinette-meets-the-1960s” buffet in line with the property’s grand, glamorous history, while a more intimate event at La Posta Vecchia took inspiration from a local artichoke festival, albeit suitably elevated in true five-star style. It’s all about “creating experiences that feel personal rather than overly formal or extravagant for the sake of it,” explains Sciò.

Increasingly, today’s most consummate hosts are moving away from structured sit-downs all together, in favor of something more fluid and experiential. Romilly Newman likes to give the evening a lively flow with courses in different rooms “so that nothing ever feels stagnant”, beginning with aperitifs and appetizers in the drawing room or garden, before moving into the dining room for the main meal. Then, dessert as the evening’s grand finale: a supersized tiramisu assembled live at the table, the ceremonial rolling-out of a silver dessert trolley, or Kermiche’s preference, a dedicated “sweet room” replete with a bountiful display of cakes and pastries. “There’s something joyful about shifting the energy of the evening and gathering everyone again for that final part of the meal,” she says. And for those who want to keep the good times flowing, a separate space equipped with an extravagantly stocked bar, and perhaps a handful of expert mixologists, to create the perfect setting for midnight socializing. After all, nobody said dinners can’t have afterparties.

Because ultimately, while the success of the modern dinner is undoubtedly in the carefully considered details, the real magic lies in not taking it all too seriously and leaving plenty of room for fun and frolics along the way. As Newman puts it: “The best moments aren’t planned – having a sense of humor and whimsy is what really helps create lasting memories.”