I’m the Ina Garten of My Friend Group, and These Are the Dinner Party Essentials I Recommend

Hosting dinner parties is an art. There’s no manual, but when you get it right, you create experiences — and food — that people remember. A big part of throwing a great dinner party is doing it your way: food you love, drinks your guests will enjoy, and a setting that feels good. That said, we all had to learn somewhere. For me, becoming a good host started with my grandma’s elegant, lively dinner parties. Ina Garten’s cookbooks and videos have always been important to me as well, so much so that I recently hosted a dinner party with her recipes as a central theme. 

For the past few years, I’ve been hosting a popular cookbook club in Chicago — every month, we select a cookbook and everyone cooks dishes from it. For our last gathering, people picked any Ina recipe they could find online or in books. It was an amazing experience and led me to reflect on some of my favorite dining gear that helped make the night so fun. Below are ideas for elevating your next dinner party in a way that Ina would (hopefully) approve of.

Best Ina Garten-Inspired Dinner Party Picks

• Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten, $19, originally $35
• Duralex Picardie Tumblers, Set of 6, $19
• Le Creuset Stoneware Heritage Covered Rectangular Casserole, $135
• Red Co. 16-Piece Enamelware Set for 4, $70
• Dowan Large Serving Platter, Set of 3, $36
• Villeroy & Boch Manoir 18-Piece Dinnerware Set, $170, originally $400
• Lodge 4.5-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, $70, originally $116
• Mora Ceramics Artisan Matte Dinner Plates, Set of 6, $50
• Staub Oval Baking Dish Set, $50
• Made In Serving Bowl with Navy Rim, $99

Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten

Since it all starts and ends with Ina, we have to begin with one of her cookbooks! I have a ton of them on my shelf, but many would argue that her masterpiece volume is Modern Comfort Food, and it’s probably the one I’d recommend starting with. There are so many unreal recipes here, but definitely make sure to cook the arrabbiata pasta and truffled mac and cheese.

Duralex Picardie Tumblers, Set of 6

Wine glasses, water glasses, digestifs after dinner — the more people you have, the more glasses you’ll go through. If it’s a formal event, sure, you can break out new glasses for everything you serve — I certainly do — but if you’re having something on the more relaxed side, it’s OK to give everybody one do-it-all glass and let them manage it from there. As far as I’m concerned, Duralex is the only choice. They’re sturdy and timeless, the perfect size, and will let your guests enjoy their beverages in style. I use these glasses in some capacity basically every time I have people over for dinner.

Staub Oval Baking Dish Set

These baking dishes from Staub are serious go-tos for me. I love cooking dips, veggies, casseroles, and even proteins in them, but I also think they’re lovely serving dishes — stir fries, pastas, cookies, really anything’s at home in these Staub dishes. And they’re $25 each. I highly recommend picking up this set.

Le Creuset Stoneware Heritage Covered Rectangular Casserole

If you’re cooking an Ina Garten recipe, there’s a decent chance it might be a casserole or something comparable. This stunning 4-quart baking dish from Le Creuset is something you’ll be proud to drop off at the table.

Red Co. 16-Piece Enamelware Set for 4

It’s awesome to have some really nice porcelain dinnerware that you pull out for special occasions (or just when you have pizza). For lower-key meals, I think enamelware is actually super attractive, bringing a breezy vibe to the table (it always makes me feel like I’m on vacation). Grab this durable, dishwasher-safe set for less than $5 per piece and watch it bring playful energy to everything from diner-style breakfasts to evening seafood feasts. 

Villeroy & Boch Manoir 18-Piece Dinnerware Set

For something a little more upscale, I love Villeroy & Boch. I think this dinnerware set is stunning and understated but exactly the kind of thing that will put your beautiful food in the spotlight. This set of German-made plates and bowls is 58% off right now, so head into spring prepared to throw the lavish party of your dreams. 

Mora Ceramics Artisan Matte Dinner Plates, Set of 6

This 6-piece dish set lands somewhere between the previous two entries, featuring a lighthearted, earthy — it comes in vanilla white, earl grey, and multi-color matte — dinner plate that will provide a vibrant underscore for your meal. I’m sure Ina would agree that the dinner table can sometimes use a little pop of color. 

Dowan Large Serving Platter, Set of 3

It’s fun to drop a few bucks on some high-end cookware and other hosting items when you can, but I believe that, most of the time, more understated serving plates keep the focus on your food. Dowan is a great brand, and this set of 12-, 14-, and 16-inch serving platters should have you covered for everything from salads and pastas to steaks and roasted veggies.

Lodge 4.5-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Stews and soups? Pastas? Fresh bread? The Lodge Dutch oven can do it all, and it comes in a bunch of festive colors to boot. This is truly an essential piece of cookware, so grab one while it’s 40% off to stay on the ready for any dinner party needs that come your way.

Made In Serving Bowl with Navy Rim, Set of 6

A nice serving bowl is an important thing to have for salads or whatever else you’re dishing out to hungry guests. This glazed, navy-rimmed option from the editor-loved brand Made In is a great choice here.