Hosting a Potluck Theme Party
January 13, 2012
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Scottsdale
• 0 Comments
Hosting a Potluck Theme Party
It’s a new year and a great opportunity to host a party! After all the festivities of New Year’s Eve, New Years Day is a great time to have fun with friends and family and perhaps recover from all the merriment of the night before. With all the glitz and sparkly glam of the previous festive evening, throwing a potluck theme party is a great laid back way to continue the celebration with your favorite people. Having a theme for the party often adds a bit of extra appeal and for those who watched the ball drop at midnight, a pajama themed party may be greatly appreciated. Even if your friends and family have little or no real cooking training, potluck style parties make it easy for everyone to contribute even if they are not too gifted in the culinary arts department.
Start your planning
Since the whole point of planning this party is having a laid back and casual event, there is no need to go crazy with your invitations or party plans. However, a great host or hostess is a prepared one. Try creating an invitation about 2 weeks before the event. If it is a last minute idea, this can work too. Just send out an email or make a few quick phone calls and gather the crew. Ask them what they would like to bring in order to prevent duplicates and make sure to let them know pajamas are welcome!
Setting up for the event
Since this will probably be a small event with just close friends and family, think of some fun things you can do together. If you want to make your theme party super authentic, why not use a bed as a table? May sound strange, but pushing the boundaries of the culinary arts is what being creative is all about. Place clean sheets on the mattress like a table cloth and place floor pillows all around! Throw in some great holiday movies or play board games. It’s all about being comfortable, relaxed and in the company of those you love.
Perfect potluck foods
Since the point of a potluck is to avoid all that time in the kitchen, all meals should be pre-cooked and require no more than perhaps a quick re-heating in the microwave. As the host, have plenty of serving utensils, plates, serving bowls and cutlery available so guests do not need to bring any of this will them. Some of the most common and easy to cook potluck recipes include things like soups, chili, salads and a variety of breads. Some casseroles also add a nice home cooked touch. Cookies and treats for after the meal are also popular.
If party planning and cooking are particularly fun for you, did you know there are many culinary careers that revolve around just that? Many attend culinary school to receive the cooking training and event planning necessary to excel in the culinary arts career field. Whether working in the hospitality sector or right in the kitchen, a strong culinary education is necessary for starting down the right path. It’s a new year and the perfect opportunity to get the cooking training you have always wanted awaits you!
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in Scottsdale, Arizona. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Scottsdale for more information.
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.