From The Straits Times    |

Maria Kuvshinova, 28, and her husband, Andries De Vos, love entertaining friends at home. But one day it occurred to them that they were far from the perfect hosts – they were spending more time in the kitchen than with their guests. That inspired the idea of Clubvivre (www.clubvivre.com), an ondemand chef service designed to provide bespoke, private catering for every occasion. “Besides saving you a lot of stress, time and effort, having a professional chef at your party makes your guests feel special,” shares Maria. We ask her for her top tips to get the party started.

Set a theme
“If your guests are the creative and spontaneous sort, you can set a theme for your dinner party. For example, you could experiment with an ‘Around the World’ theme, where your guests sample food and drinks from every continent. Alternatively, you could get them to dress up as characters from a film!”

Prepare good music
“Good parties require good music, which can really help create the right atmosphere. Curate your playlists for different occasions and tastes. For instance, complement a laid-back gathering with jazz or lounge music.”

Always have liquor on hand
“Most guests like to unwind with a good drink. Consider getting niche or underrated wines and spirits, instead of more predictable choices – your guests will be pleasantly surprised and it might stir up a discussion among them. You can even mix different cocktails for each guest for a personal touch.”

This article was originally published in Simply Her June 2015.