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’Tis the season for holiday entertaining, and we’ve enlisted the help of the most stylish hosts we know to serve up their party tricks for a holiday hosting mini-series. Dress code festive, RSVP requested. À Table!
The scene in Mimi Thorisson’s kitchen is one instantly recognizable to anyone in her audience of thousands: In lieu of decor, farmers market spoils spill out on every surface, taking shifts with the seasons. In spring, it’s bowls of bright green snap peas waiting to be shelled and vases of bended peonies; in fall, it’s countertops littered with walnuts and pumpkins as centerpieces. No surprise, then, that her holiday tablescape follows a similar path: For a wintry fête at home, the cookbook author chose overflowing platters of mandarins and pomegranates to set the tone. “It adds a natural elegance and quietly introduces the menu before the first plate arrives,” she explains.
For Thorisson, whose recently released cookbook A Kitchen in Italy serves as a sort of culinary documentary of her family’s life in her adopted city of Turin, entertaining is second nature. Her tabletop favorites are mostly antique or vintage finds—a simple linen tablecloth or old Ginori 1735 plates unearthed at a local flea market, for instance. When combined with heaps of fresh produce and bunches of blooming flowers, the effect is one of laid-back luxury; it’s warm, inviting, and elegant without being stuffy.
“I want the evening to feel like a cherished secret—fewer guests, more layers of conversation,” says Thorisson of her hosting style, which she says tends more often than not toward intimate dinner party. It starts with an aperitivo in the kitchen: “Not too staged, as if people just gathered naturally.” Then, it’s on to a long dinner, where the conversations are candlelit (her favorite tapers are from Cotswolds-based brand Willow Crossley) and the menu is, true to style, always seasonal.
Ahead, a behind-the-scenes glimpse at Thorisson’s latest dinner party.
“I start with emotion, not color. What feeling should the table evoke? This time: Winter at dusk. From there, I layer texture—linen slightly crumpled, my favorite porcelain plates, cutlery with history. This linen tablecloth is an antique one I found at the Grand Balon market in Turin. I avoid over-polishing; imperfection invites intimacy.”
“I like elegant but forgiving. I love a good waist, a hint of sexy—a dress is always a good idea. For festive touches, I often wear vintage Prada dresses or Loretta Caponi. My formula is: one dramatic piece, barefoot or low heel until guests arrive. Then I slip into something graceful.”
“I love mixing heritage and artisanal. I use Astier de Villatte, vintage Christofle cutlery, glassware from Los Vasos de Agua Clara, and linens I find in antique stores. Recently, I’ve been drawn to LaDoubleJ’s beautiful Murano glass vases and cocktail glasses.”
“Taper candles, always—tall and slender, never scented. Flowers should feel gathered rather than arranged. I like to weave seasonal ingredients into the tablescape, too; seasonal fruits, fresh herbs, and vegetables become part of the atmosphere. Sometimes I hand-write menus, especially for intimate gatherings. I have this hack: You get beautiful ribbons and glue them to your menu card. It’s so easy and chic, and sets the tone before the food does.”
“I build the menu like a narrative. I start with what’s seasonal where I am—like roast guinea fowl or slow-cooked beef with winter herbs, roasted root vegetables, and a chestnut purée. Or if I want a more festive menu, I’ll go for the great icons like culatello with gnocchi fritti Granseola spider crab tagliolini pasta. I like the feeling that you just popped into a very chic yet simple Italian trattoria.”
“A small bar tray on a sideboard, but wine at the table. I do signature drinks only if they feel organic to the evening. My latest cocktail is so simple: Pomegranate kombucha with a shot of vodka and a chili that slowly spices up your drink. Low-maintenance cocktails, high-quality ingredients, served very cold, no shaker theatrics.”
“Arriving without appetite or curiosity.”
“Miles Davis, a touch of Leonard Cohen, and Nat King Cole at low volume. Music that hums, not commands. Then I might get into my ’80s mood and we all start to have fun!”
“I invite people who would enjoy bumping elbows while helping in the kitchen. People who listen as much as they speak.”
“I decide early what really matters. Light, food, and emotional temperature. The rest can unravel a little—that’s where the story lies.”
