If you haven’t seen Come Dine With Me, then chances are you have a full-time job and hence aren’t around in the early afternoon to watch some nonsense reality show. The show might not make for the highest-brow television, however the concept is quite fun to try at home for yourself. For the uninitiated, let me explain how a Come Dine with Me party works.
Four or five amateur chefs take it in turns throwing a dinner party — one on each day of the week. The guests then secretly rate the host on how much they enjoyed the experience. At the end of the four or five days, they name the winner — the person with the highest score wins a cash prize. That’s it.
So, Let’s Get Dining
See how the format lends itself to a group of four or five friends? You don’t obviously have to do it on consecutive nights, but maybe over the course of a month. If you want to get a heads up on the competition and be crowned the winner, then read on…
Go the Whole Hog
Re-enact exactly as it happens on the show by filming yourself shopping and then cooking etc. It will be good fun, especially if you can get someone to do the sarcastic voice over. Watch a few of the episodes if you’re a newbie and need to see how it’s done.
Pick a Theme
This is a great way to rake in some extra points, especially if you pull it off well. But what theme to choose? I would suggest you pick a theme based around your menu. Check out some recipes online and see if you can find a theme based around it. (This way is easier in my view than trying to do the reverse of finding food based on your theme…)
Organise Some Great Entertainment
This could clinch the victory for you. Some memorable entertainment (however cheesy!) might just claw in some extra points. What’s good about doing it with friends is that you know what they like and dislike and so you can tailor the entertainment to suit their personalities.
A Clean House, is a Happy House
Make sure everything is spotless, otherwise you will lose heaps of points. People don’t want to eat in a messy house — plus they will be trying to knock points off of you anyway they can. Have a mammoth cleaning session beforehand, so that people will have nothing to complain about and you can come away with ‘perfect tens’ all round.
Good Luck!
Now you have all the tips you need to host the perfect Come Dine with Me style dinner party – all you need is a smile and witty table conversation. Happy dining!
