Famed culinary expert Ina Garten, known for her approachable cooking style and gracious hosting, has shared her insights on dinner party etiquette in a recent interview with TODAY’s Willie Geist. During the conversation, Garten highlighted two common mistakes that guests often make when attending such gatherings.
Garten emphasized that guests should avoid bringing items that may throw off the host’s plans for the evening. She humorously pointed out that offering something like Jell-O salad is a definite faux pas, asking, “What are you going to do with that?” She also advised against bringing loose flowers without a vase, stating that it creates an inconvenient situation for the host as they scramble to find a suitable vessel amidst the party preparations.
This isn’t the first time Garten has shared her wisdom on dinner parties. In the early 2000s, she offered advice on various culinary topics, including her distaste for nonstick cookware. Moreover, she has addressed how to handle late arrivals at dinners, suggesting that hosts should wait up to 30 minutes before removing place settings for guests who do not arrive on time.
If guests show up with both loose flowers and a Jell-O salad, it seems there might be a humorous challenge for Garten. Nevertheless, her guidance continues to help many navigate the nuances of social dining experiences.
Hope remains that anyone attending a gathering can take a cue from Garten’s advice to enhance the enjoyment of the occasion for both hosts and fellow guests alike.