Entertaining for Laura Cheung is a family affair.
The founder of whimsical home décor brand Lala Curio takes care of the decorations, from floral centrepeices to candles, napkin rings, linens and place cards; she then works with her sister and brother, who are both chefs, on flavours and forms, particularly for the canapes that ideally precede a sit-down dinner. Here are her top tips to ensure a memorable evening.
Pre-make your desserts to ensure a fuss-free celebration with your guests
• I go with “unexpected combinations” in terms of setting up the space and decorations, maintaining a bit of mystery by never matching perfectly as it can lack character
• I don’t like to be rushed so I plan everything up to a week in advance. I won’t make other plans on the day of the event so I have sufficient time. It’s important to be relaxed when your guests arrive, so it all seems effortless
• I like appetisers to be somewhat interactive so guests need to get up, reach for and assemble them. It helps warm up the table, especially when guests don’t already know each other
• Timing is key to being a good host so for the main course, I usually do something in the oven so it’s easy to control the time
• For dessert, pre-make it and go for something large and impressive for photos that is then divided up – sharing keeps the energy flowing
Fantasy guest(s): Iris Apfel. She will be part of the interior décor and I love listening to people’s stories and feel like she will have plenty to share
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