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Diary of a Hostess

Diary of a Hostess

Diary of a Hostess

Sunday’s Big Table

Visual Inspiration

22 Nov

Written By Jess Murphy

table setting filled with food and champagne pink streamers coming from the roof and pink peonies on the table

Table setting_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Streamers_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Slices of Basque Cheesecake with Mandarin Marmalade_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Setting the table_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Serving Mixed Green & Three Cheese Pie_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Pouring a drink_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Potato & Green Bean Salad_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Place setting_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Peonies_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Monte Carlos_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Mixed Green & Three Cheese Pie_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Macabee looking for food_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Lemon Herbed Lamb Shoulder_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Herby Salad_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Herby Salad on the table_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Herbed Lamb Shoulder_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Herbed Lamb Shoulder with juice_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Fun_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Full table_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Full plate_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Food_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Focaccia with Dipping Oil & Marinated Mozzarella_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Focaccia_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Dipping Oil & Marinated Mozzarella_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Dipping the Focaccia with Dipping Oil & Marinated Mozzarella_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Close up Monte Carlos_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Champagne_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Basque Cheesecake with Mandarin Marmalade_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

At the table_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Jess Murphy having a laugh_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

Ready for the table_Sunday’s Big Table_The Dinner Party Guide.jpg

A Middle Eastern Spread

The Classic Long Lunch

HOME‍ ‍GUIDES‍ ‍ABOUT‍ RECIPES ‍diary of a hostess‍ ‍contact

The secret to a good dinner party isn't the food. It's the prep. My Soirée maps it across three days — what to do two days out, the night before, and the afternoon of — so by the time guests arrive you're pouring drinks, not stirri

Six browser tabs open. A grocery list on a sticky note. The party is in four days and nothing is confirmed. That chaos is not a hosting problem — it is a systems problem. Stress free entertaining comes down to a handful of decisions made earlie

The opening act of My Soirée. Cos leaves cradling the dressing you'd happily drink, finished with extra parm and a toasted breadcrumb crunch — and a chip flight beside them, because nibbles should be a little bit of theatre. Recipe lives

What to bring - when you're told not to bring a thing! Yes you should probably turn up with a nice bottle of wine as well! Honourable mention but doesn't translate well onto a beautiful collage - a bag of ice 🧊!! Always a welcomed friend to any gath

This is my favourite menu — generous, golden, and made for gathering. It’s everything I love about cooking for the people I love.

Bright, sunny flavours of the Mediterranean with relaxed, share-style dishes made for long afternoons, laug

I break it down,
so you don’t!

Photos by Hannah Puechmarin and Pearson Street Studio

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we work. We pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their connection to the land.

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