Sian Redgrave’s top tips for home entertaining
We chat to Food Stylist and Recipe Extraordinaire, Sian Redgrave, who shares her top tips for styling your table for guests and how to make your entertaining a stress-free experience.
A creative at heart, Sian has found a way to express art through food, specialising in delicious and visually appealing food creations. But how does she manage to prepare a stunning spread, while also enjoying her guests’ company? Sian shares her top three pointers below.
Entertaining can feel daunting, especially when you have guests coming who you are eager to impress…and the cooking is only half the battle. I find that choosing a theme, even if it is loose is an excellent way to align both the styling and food into one smooth concoction. Sometimes I like to revolve around a certain cuisine or ingredient that is in season, or even a colour. Depending on the time of year and weather, it’s a beautiful atmosphere enhancer to epitomise the season in your styling for instance warm terracotta and earth tones for autumn. Think outside the box when dressing your dining table. Fruits and vegetables make for lovely decorations instead of flowers which you can then go on to make into a delicious meal at a later time.
Investing in serving dishes and plates that can be used for years to come are a must for me. I find that interesting ceramics and plates that have unique personality can hide a multitude of sins from cooking. It’s true that we eat with our eyes, so if you are not the most confident of cooks you can be confident in your presentation abilities. Op shops, ceramic schools where students sell their pieces or Asian grocers can be cost effective places to pick up pieces for your next dinner party. If you’re feeling fancy and want to splash out on some investment pieces some favourites are Dinosaur Designs, Mud Australia, Alex and Trahanas, Firm Living and Astier de Villate.
Preparation and presentation are everything. The more you can do ahead of your guests arriving the calmer you will be. Samsung’s French Door Refrigerator, aka the James Bond of fridges, has an infuser water jug that automatically refills, two different types of ice (ice bites for chilling drinks faster), and a ‘Beverage Centre’ which allows guests to grab drinks from a separate compartment. You don’t want people to see your half-eaten sandwich or half-cooked meal so the fact you can keep everything else hidden is pretty slick.
Lastly, a tablecloth is a sure-fire way to elevate a casual dining experience into something a little more special. I like to have this ready and ironed the night before and have plenty of time to set the table. Have your favourite songs blaring, get into a state of creativity and feel spontaneous with styling.
French Door Refrigerator
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