As host, you have set out on the festive field to ensure your guests have the best time. Food on point, warm and welcoming décor and drinks that keep the spirits up. In all this, don’t forget that a host with self-care is the host that wins. We have a hamper full of tops from
restaurateurs, chefs, nutritionists and etiquette trainers to keep you in ahead in the hosting game.
‘Engage your guests with interactive dining’
Kaustubh Haldipur, Brand chef at Fireback by Ekatra Hospitality Ventures
- Interactive dining is having a moment. Guests love getting hands-on with taco bars or cocktail stations. This way, they can be picky and still eat well. Self-serve food or drink stations keeps things relaxed and lets guests help themselves.
- Even if you are short on time, pick up a few ready-made appetizers or grazing platters and use easy, prepped ingredients like salad kits or pre-cooked meats to pull dishes together quickly.
- Restaurants make hosting so much easier. Many offer catering packages with set party menus, drink kits or pre-mixed cocktails you can serve straight away, and even chef-led experiences. Let friends bring something along, even if it’s just a salad or chutney, every little bit helps. And using disposable, eco-friendly crockery is a total lifesaver.
- Focus on presentation, a few flowers, stylish trays, and good glassware can make even store-bought food look impressive.
- Prebatch cocktails so you’re not mixing drinks all night.
‘Schedule your prep time and invest in a good knife’
Anand Morwani, Head Chef and Partner, Gaijin
- Nothing slows you down like a dull blade, and don’t underestimate the oven to be your multi-tasker partner. While people are running around reheating things on the stove, I’m finishing off trays of kebabs or baking off appetizers all at once.
- When you’re hosting a Diwali gathering, always start with the menu. Everything revolves around how people will eat and connect over food. Whether it’s a relaxed grazing- style spread or a sit-down dinner, build the flow around that. From there, prep timelines and equipment, what can be done a day ahead, what needs to be finished à la minute.
- Simplify: Focus on fewer dishes but do them really well. Once the basics are prepped and your mise en place is ready, enjoy the process and the company.
- Most sauces, chutneys, marinades, and desserts can be done ahead. Even pre-portioning ingredients, and measured spices help. Half-cook some components and finish them right before serving. Cold dishes like salads or dips also benefit from resting the flavours come together beautifully overnight.
- Dishes that hold well and age gracefully are your best friends. Think stuffed vegetables, or anything with a sauce base. They taste even better as they sit. Ingredients like ghee, saffron, jaggery, and nuts instantly bring a sense of warmth and celebration to a dish.
- Stagger your service and don’t put everything out at once. Keep backups in the fridge, and use garnishes strategically to make food look lively again. Serving food at the right temperature also makes a huge difference.
- Store-bought bases that you can elevate a ready dip or puff pastry can become something special with a quick twist. You can also use insulated heating pads to keep food warm during buffet-style service; they’re surprisingly handy and easy to use.
‘Glow up and energise’
Shirin Kapadia, Founder, Parama Wellness, Nutritionist & Fitness Coach
- To hydrate: Start your day with warm water + lemon or a pinch of pink salt to stay energised and support digestion. It is a good idea to add a teaspoon of chia seeds to this water for added fibre .
- To energise: B vitamins (especially B12 and B6) are great for energy. You’ll find them in whole grains, dairy, eggs, and leafy greens.
- Iron-rich foods like spinach, beetroot, dates, and jaggery help prevent fatigue — especially important for women.
- Snack smart: Instead of reaching for mithai, or namkeen or fried junk have nuts, seeds, or fruit with a small cube of cheese or peanut butter to keep blood sugar stable.
- A quick energy hack: a banana with a spoon of nut butter — instant fuel without the crash!
- Hydration is the key for glowing skin, along with consuming clean foods that are not fried or sugar loaded. Consuming good fats and proteins can make a big difference on the way your skin can appear.
- Food plays a powerful role in how we feel emotionally too. Add magnesium-rich foods like bananas, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate — they help relax muscles and ease tension. Avoid consuming too much of caffeine, especially post 4pm as it may also affect your circadian rhythm. Include good fats (like ghee, nuts, and seeds) to stabilise mood and support hormone balance.
- Don’t skip meals and a warm glass of haldi doodh at night works wonders for calming anti-inflammatory effects.
- Juice up: Carrot glow juice, take 1 carrot, ½ a beetroot, 1 orange, small piece of ginger. Squeeze a lemon and a dash of salt. For a cucumber mint refresher, take a cucumber, handful of mint, juice of 1 lemon and 1 tsp chia seeds. This will take the puffiness of your face and reduce bloating. 1 glass on an empty stomach, will do the deal.
‘Leave it to the experts and curate a good playlist’
Gauri Devidayal, Restaurateur, Food Matters Group
- With the fantastic catering options today so if cooking isn’t your thing then don’t take on the stress unnecessarily.
- Delegate as much as you can! Today you can get everything from decor, bartending and food outsourced. A party I went to recently even had a mentalist there for entertainment. The whole point is for the host to not have a stressful evening but also be able to enjoy time with their friends so leave it to the experts.
- If it’s a sit down then make that clear to your guests but if not, then be prepared to be welcoming and saying goodbye throughout the evening.
- Beware of overestimate food while ordering and underestimating alcohol consumption
- Have a great playlist and that’s half the battle!
‘Be prepared to accommodate the uninvited plus one’
Suneeta Kanga, Wine expert and etiquette trainer
- Good thing about Diwali is that it brings people together. It also means you have kids, grandparents, middle-aged and teenagers in one room. Make sure there is comfortable seating, and small finger foods that are easy to eat for the elderly. Take dietary preferences beforehand. And keep a table close by to keep food and glassware. One thing to remember is the elderly may want to eat early.
- Activities like lantern making, Diwali cards, torans and painting can help keep the younger lot engaged. Assign the teenagers monitor the little ones.
- The best way to set boundaries as far as timing goes is to write on the card when you are inviting them. That way people will know that they are supposed to come at a certain time and definitely leave before a certain time.
- To gracefully end an evening, start by distributing give aways or asking if anyone wants a last round before winding up.
- When asked if they can help, give simple tasks to the guests like collecting empty glasses and bringing trays.
- When faced with an uninvited plus one, greet them with a smile, and accommodate them warmly. Prioritise warmth and hospitality and avoid anything that shows that you are not happy about the plus one situation. The problem happens if your party is small or intimate and there is less space on the dining table. Or, at the invite stage, call it an intimate gathering citing a table of fixed seats.
Photo: Shutterstock, respective owners, Unsplash/Rachel Claire