Banjo Harris Plane
BEVERAGE DIRECTOR, BAR LIBERTY, THE WINE GALLERY AND CAPITANO
To start, serve a pét-nat from the Adelaide Hills (easy, fresh, fun) or top
Heiwa Shuzo yuzushu with an equal amount of fizzy water (a citrusy smash).
Being a wine nerd, I always have a mix of fizz, white, rosé, amber and light
reds open on a table for people to help themselves to. If the sun is shining,
host your do at the park, in a beer garden or at the beach. Ask people to
bring easy stu: a loaf of bread, some charcuterie, a hunk of cheese. And
if you don’t have the patience to work the barbecue, takeaway from Flower
Drum or Supernormal is always a luxe option.John Fink
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE FINK GROUP
Cook something with flair so everyone can roll up their sleeves and get involved
(paella, fresh pasta). Have a small court of witty regulars to spark things up,
and somewhere in that lot invite a musician – they can’t help but belt out
a few tunes. Get a crew together to back you up with the preparations, so
you have a mini-party to set up, then the party-party, then a clean-up party the
next day. Be open to some crazy shit going down. A few years back at one of
our parties, a woman stripped o, painted her body with acrylic paint and made
an impression on a primed canvas. It was all very spontaneous. She gave the
painting to her husband as a birthday present.Christine Manfield
CHEF AND AUTHOR
Your party should reflect you as a person. Great glassware, fabulous cocktails
and high-calibre Champagne and wine add style and glamour. So do good-
looking sta who know how to deliver polished service and add a bit of theatre.
As host, you need to be present for your guests to help spark the energy,
not slaving away behind the scenes, so keep the food simple, fresh and full
of flavour. Gorgeous ceramics, linen napkins and interesting cutlery help show
food in its best light, too.Taras Ochota
WINEMAKER, OCHOTA BARRELS
Start with chilled orange-wine shots, then move on to cocktail mayhem.
Whiskey Sours, Margaritas, Martinis, mezcal shots (for the ones still not picking
up on the vibe), more orange-wine nips – anything plural really. The ’80s
usually nails the music, but a live band can also get a crowd bouncing o the
walls, ceiling and floor. As for a location, opt for something with dim lighting
(Africola’s basement comes to mind). A handwritten invitation gives it another
level of charm, especially when you deliver them personally. And a good
host will also charter a bus to drop the guests home. Two days later. Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales
DESIGNERS, ROMANCE WAS BORN
Flowers are often the first element you notice and can
set the tone for the type of party you’re in for. It’s super
cute when people get to take them home at the end of
the night, too. We’re flower mad – we’ve named entire
collections after flowers (Electro Orchid, anyone?). Beyond
that, you need plenty of Champagne (a tower, please),
oysters, a mirror ball and a DJ who willingly takes requests.
Lisa Havilah
DIRECTOR, CARRIAGEWORKS
The best party should take eort but appear casual.
Details don’t need to be too detailed. We once had
an exhibition launch at Carriageworks and the caterer,
John Wilson, brought focaccia still in its baking tray,
a huge wooden pallet of ricotta, and true to grate
over the top. People always remember one simple
thing done perfectly. And this was totally no-fuss but
still felt extra special.
Anthea Loucas Bosha
CEO, FOOD AND WINE VICTORIA
A great party is all about a relaxed host. And that
means laying out a DIY spread so guests can help
themselves to food as they please, leaving you free
to flit around. A glazed ham with lots of soft white bread
rolls, an Italian-style coleslaw, a wheel of cheese and
loads of dierent condiments are my go-tos. And
Negronis, always Negronis.
Andrew McConnell
MELBOURNE RESTAURATEUR AND CHEF
If you’re hosting at home, set the table somewhere
dierent from where you usually eat, perhaps on the
porch or in the garden if you can. There’s something
really special about eating outside. When people oer
to help, let them; it’s more fun cooking with friends.
I always go for big, generous and often familiar flavours,
something I can execute easily so I’m not in the kitchen
with tweezers trying to plate up food and missing all
the fun. And I always have a pile of vinyl ready to go
for when dinner turns to dancing.
Tony Tan
CHEF AND AUTHOR
The food must be light, simple, sexy and have oomph.
A fish crudo with ginger-and-lemongrass mayo and Yarra
Valley Caviar salmon roe is great. Or Xinjiang-style Uyghur
lamb skewers with cumin, chilli, lemon and an easy rice
pilaf. Then there’s char siu: cook it over a charcoal burner
and serve it with pickles and fluy mantou buns. With food
as light as this, everyone will think you’re a rock star. And
it’s fun and easy to make, so you’ll have time to party.
Food that you can eat with one hand is essential.
And don’t skimp on the bubbles. The constant
pop of Champagne screams full-throttle fun.GOURMET TRAVELLER 87