How to Throw a Dinner Party on Zoom

We’ve learned a lot during the recent stay at home orders; how to make sourdough, how to school our children while simultaneously working and holding a martini, and how to use video conferencing. Zoom was previously a tool known only to those that worked with global teams or worked remotely, but it has now become a household name. (Though others have created tools lickety-split that do the same thing, namely Facebook and Google.)

As we start to open up, not everyone will be ready to gather in groups (large or small), or even fly cross country to visit friends and family. Particularly for high-risk individuals or those that live with them, we can still count on Zoom to connect and “hang out.” While Zoom is great for things like talking to your parents or virtual happy hours, what about activities that are a little more involved? This is, after all, a “new normal.”

At About the Table, we’ve been creating virtual dinner parties with our peeps that we can’t see in person! The best part about this whole experience is that we never previously thought about throwing a dinner party with someone that lives in a different city, and now we’re old pro’s. After a little trial and error, here are our tips!

How to Throw a Dinner Party on Zoom

Plan Ahead

Just like a regular dinner party, a virtual party requires a little planning. With everyone sharing their space 24/7 with family or a partner, it’s important to make sure nobody is overlapping Zoom dates! Give everyone about a week to set aside time, gather ingredients, and get a little bit organized.

Set the Table

While you certainly don’t need to plan some elaborate tablescape (unless that’s your jam and you want to) or set empty places for the people on the other end of the call, having your table set in advance will only help the party go more smoothly. If you’ve ever been on a video call while someone is clanking dishes, you know what we mean.

Have Everybody Make the Same Thing

While you could, in theory, just video call your friends during dinner, it’s more fun if everyone makes the same thing! As an added bonus that you don’t get when eating dinner with friends IRL, you can compare notes and swap tips and tricks if one person’s recipe didn’t turn out as intended.

Pick Something You Would Never Normally Cook

Half of the fun is having everyone try something new. This is an excellent time to expand your recipe repertoire and branch out into uncharted territory. If you’ve always wondered what homemade Hoisin sauce is like, this is your chance.

Bring the Whole Family on the Call

Once everything is ready to go, bring the whole family in on the call once you sit down. At that point, it’s just like a regular dinner gathering.

We know you’ve been cooking a lot these past few months. We all have! Save those kitchen experiments for special occasions (like Zoom parties) and have us help you out with your weekly meals! Our chef-prepared meal delivery makes your weeknights a snap by cutting down on kitchen time. Get healthy dinner on the table in a snap! Learn more about our personal chef services!