Ina Garten knows how to (dinner) party. The Food Network personality, author, and “Barefoot Contessa” star is known not just for her thoughtfully prepared recipes, but also for her ability to plan a truly spectacular event. From her crafty, use-what-you-have method of table setting, to her focus on creating a warm, hospitable environment for dinner party guests, you can count on her to give you the best tips for a truly incredible soiree. Her guidance doesn’t end there, however, as she also has some pretty spectacular advice on being a guest as well.

In an interview with Today’s Willie Geist, Garten gave a few dinner party tips, including her least favorite host’s gifts. “[D]on’t ever bring flowers that aren’t in a vase,” Garten told Geist. This may seem counterintuitive; after all, flowers are usually a lovely gift. However, as Garten notes, ” … Everyone’s arriving and then all of a sudden, you’ve got these flowers and you have to figure out what to do.” Essentially, the problem with this gift is that it creates a chore for your host and adds to the stress of their duties. For this reason, if you choose to gift flowers, you should be sure to also include a vase. That way, they can just be set down as they are. Garten also extends this guidance to any gift that might be overly fussy, such as wine or an appetizer.

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More Dinner Party Tips From The Barefoot Contessa

Instead of a fussy gift for a dinner party host, Ina Garten suggests something more functional, but also something that the host won’t feel obligated to serve. In particular, she brings gifts such as chocolate, coffee, or granola, which the host can enjoy at their own leisure. This isn’t the only guidance that Garten had prepared during her Today appearance. In terms of hosting, she advised against feeling the need to throw too large of a party, saying, “The first thing about a dinner party is it can be four people. It doesn’t have to be 12.” A smaller gathering, after all, offers up a much more intimate environment that can foster better conversation. She also noted that larger gatherings can be a lot to manage, even for a seasoned expert like herself.

In addition to keeping the dinner party small, Garten also suggests doing a fair amount of prep work beforehand. Rather than struggling to assemble every dish all at once, she prepares her menu based on a “four-dish strategy.” This strategy calls for cooking one dish ahead of time, one dish to be cooked in the oven, one on the stove top, and one that can be served without heating. This way, you won’t be overburdened by cooking and planning for guests. And, of course, this will be especially nice if nobody brings you a bouquet of flowers (minus the vase) to deal with as everyone’s arriving.

Read the original article on Chowhound.