“Choose one dish that you feel very comfortable making, like a simple chicken or fish recipe. Add a tossed salad, and then source a loaf of bread and some olive oil. And that’s it, you have a meal.”

“You could have folks bring things, or just get them in the kitchen with you. We love to hand our guests an apron and involve them in the cooking. I grew up in a house where the kitchen was kept behind a closed door to contain the chaos of the pots and pans and heat and smoke. In our home, it’s the opposite.”

“I usually start with the essentials: plates and glassware, with the Always Pan and the Perfect Pot in the centre. Then I’ll sprinkle in some little flowers in vases – I don’t like to use anything too high because it blocks your view of the person sitting opposite – and a lot of candles. Every table looks beautiful when there’s a ton of tea lights scattered along it.”