During a recent interview I was asked to develop a process for organizing and hosting a dinner party for four. Obviously this was intended to exhibit my general skills in process development and improvement, but it turned out to be a fun exercise worth sharing.
3. +
Typical Dinner Party Problems
I can’t eat that / drink that
Wrong food for the occasion
Kitchen disasters
Hosts so preoccupied that they can’t enjoy the company
Late/early arrival of the guests
4. +
Common Process Problems
Confusion /
disagreement
regarding
intended
outcome
Insufficient
resources, s
chedule, trai
ning
Failure to
understand
expectations &
requirements
Inadequate
coordination
of activities
5. +
General Process Design
People
• Who are the stakeholders?
• What are their expectations?
• Who actively participates in the process?
• What are their roles? (RACI)
Inputs/outputs
• What are the required inputs?
• What is the desired outcome?
• How do you define/measure success?
Value-added process steps
• What are the intermediate steps to achieve
the desired outcome?
• What is the timing/sequence of those steps?
6. +
Planning the Dinner Party
Planning
Preparation
Delivery
Closing
People:
Guests (allergies, likes/dislikes)
Role of the guests (pot luck, bring something?)
Role of the hosts (cooking, cleaning, greeting, clean-up)
Expectations:
Special event? (holiday, birthday, Super Bowl)
Expected outcome (strictly social, other agenda?)
Menu:
Make vs. buy (what to cook, what to buy)
Tried-and-true, or experiment with something new?
“Design for manufacturing” (timing, sequence, preparation)
Choices that enable the hosts to enjoy the company
7. +
Preparation: The Hardest Part
Planning
Preparation
Delivery
Closing
Invitation:
Arrival time at least 30 min before serving time
Make it clear what guests can bring (if anything)
Purchasing/acquiring ingredients and prepared food (from the menu)
Preparing the dinner:
Work backwards from the serving time
Plan for scarce resources (oven, cook top, microwave)
Preparing the house:
Cleaning, dusting (don’t forget the bathroom)
Setting the table, decorating, music
Tending to children, pets
8. +
Example: Thanksgiving 2013
A whole turkey would be excessive for four people, and tie up
the oven (scarce resource) for hours
Bought pre-cooked turkey breast, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes
from the market (all sampled previously)
Warmed/basted the turkey in the oven
Cooked at home: sweet potatoes with apples, cranberry
sauce, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato pecan pie
Everything timed to be warm and ready
Buffet style for easy serving
9. +
Delivery: Don’t Forget to Enjoy
Planning
Preparation
Delivery
Closing
Guest arrival:
Take a break and greet, they’re the stars of the show (not the food)
Put a drink in their hand
Give them something to do (“What can I do to help?”)
Service:
Buffet style / self-serve to allow portion control
Water at the table
Conversation:
Relax, the hard part is over
10. +
Closing: Relax, Clean Up Later
Planning
Preparation
Delivery
Closing
After dinner:
Move the party away from the table once everyone’s done
Clear the table, but clean the dishes later (no one wants to see that)
Take the guests to a comfortable place to relax
Dessert? Coffee?
Ending the evening:
Don’t rush the guests, you’re already home, unless …
Leftovers? Doggie bag? (not recommended)
11. +
Summary Recommendations
It’s not about the food, it’s about your guests. They’re coming to
spend time with you
Good menu planning and kitchen organization will prevent most
kitchen disasters, but if you drop the casserole, roll with it
(there’s always peanut butter sandwiches
Don’t get trapped in the kitchen, before or after (it’s your
party, too)
