Dinner Party Ideas, Tips from The Bear’s Courtney Storer

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Between Summer at the Last Minute With soirees and festive gatherings just around the corner, there are plenty of reasons to host a dinner party right now. But sometimes, there are no There's a lot of inspiration (or knowledge) out there when it comes to preparing a dinner party.

Here to help is Courtney Storer, culinary producer on the hit FX series The bearwhich recently earned 23 Emmy nominations—a new record for a comedy series. After working at notable restaurants like Verjus in Paris and Jon & Vinny's in Los Angeles, Storer teamed up with her brother Chris (The bearSeries creator Mary Louise Jordan helped accurately depict a real, working kitchen, and brought personal experiences that helped inform some of the show's stories and characters.

in the wake of The BiaFor Season 3 of r, Storer teamed up with Miraval Côtes de Provence Rosé (owned by Brad Pitt) to share her and the brand’s love of combining “place, people, surroundings, and culture.” In collaboration with the wine brand, Storer hosted a Provence-inspired gathering in Los Angeles. We stopped by to see what the duo cooked up, and got some tips from Storer on how we non-experts can create our own fabulous dinner party.

Seasonal service

After the guest list comes the most important step of any dinner party: deciding what to eat. For Storer, one of the most important goals should be seasonality. “Miraval showcases the true essence of the region’s soil and way of life,” Storer says. “Similarly, my approach to cooking focuses on using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.”

The details will change depending on where you are, but Storer says the advice remains the same.[Seasonal cooking] “This method works very well year-round in Los Angeles. During the spring and summer, produce is plentiful, but you can easily follow this advice anywhere in the United States to create simple but delicious dishes that highlight the natural flavors and textures of the ingredients.”

Of course, shopping for local food isn’t always easy. One easy way to simplify the process is to use a good food delivery service that stocks local produce, like Fresh Direct. The service delivers grocery store staples as well as fresh, local produce to supply the entire party.

Wine

The next step in planning a dinner party is choosing wine. Storer says the best wines for a dinner party should be one of two categories: accessible and versatile.

“My experience dealing with customers has made me absolutely convinced that wine is an essential part of the culinary experience,” she says. “I’ve always been drawn to wines that help break the ice, bottles that tell a story and make people feel comfortable while still offering a sense of precision.”

One of Storer's picks? Miraval, of course. You can buy a bottle (or more) of Total Wine here.

You'll also need some good glassware to complement this wine. We suggest this set of four custom-designed rose glasses from Riedel, currently available on Amazon here.

Presentation

Once you’ve secured your seasonal snacks and great wines, it’s time to get everything ready. “Less is better than more. It’s a common French approach to cooking and life,” says Storer of serving. “Instead of a formal dinner, set up a grazing-style table with your favorite dishes. Create a comfortable, elegant table by not overthinking it.”

Instead of elaborate artefacts, try using real elements from your meal to decorate: Extra fruit, loaves of bread, and pretty bottles of wine are all great examples, says Storer. To pull off this French-inspired look, you'll need some vessels like baskets for bread and fruit or pretty plates for some cold cuts.