LOW KEY ENTERTAINING
The Architecture Of Easy
Low-key entertaining. The phrase, the idea, the plan, is meant to give even the most novice host confidence—and it should. Entertaining doesn’t have to be complicated.
Take it from me, I’ve done a lot of entertaining and, at the end of the day, the best times, the best stories, and the very best memories come from the dinners and gatherings where everyone had a good time—including the hosts.
We put so much pressure on ourselves creating elaborate plans to make everything just right, but you’d be surprised how much easier it gets when you change your expectations and move the goalposts.
At the end of the day, guests are delighted to be in your company. They’re grateful to be hosted and they’re not making nearly the number of assumptions or judgments we imagine they are.
We all have memories of beautifully hosted events, but are your favorites the most elaborate or the most enjoyable? Sometimes they’re both, but more often than not, the best gatherings are the ones that are relaxed and leave you feeling full with a sense of pleasure long after you’ve left them. You’re grateful for the fun and interesting conversation, someone new you met, a connection you made, or perhaps something novel you learned. It’s rarely the stuffy or superficial ones that stay with us.
This isn’t to knock formal entertaining. It has its place too, and it can be tremendous fun. My point is simply that there’s nothing quite like gathering around a table with friends, sharing good food, and even better conversation. And all it really takes is a small amount of planning. You don’t have to be a cook. You don’t need to hire a chef. Order in, pick up a few things at the farmers’ market, open a bottle of wine, and you’ve got a summer gathering worth lingering over.
In the spirit of summer, this article is going to distill everything I know about easy entertaining into an equally easy—and relatively short—read. That’s the plan at least!
DEFINE LOW-KEY
a la N B
Entertaining à la N B is simple. To me, it comes down to four things: a loose plan, a few foolproof dishes on rotation, a set-up you can practically do blindfolded, and good ingredients and supplies.
And summer is the very best time to have all of these in your back pocket because there are so many resources available and creative ways to spin it—and frankly, the very nature of summer is slowness (at least it's meant to be), so hosting doesn't have to require a tremendous amount of energy.
What you actually want is a cold glass of something, a few people around a table or firepit, and enough food and conversation to linger over. None of it has to be a high-octane event.
That’s the architecture of a summer well designed.
All it requires is a little forethought and taste, and not much effort. In fact, when it comes to entertaining, restraint is often your greatest advantage.
All you have to remember is that hosting a relaxed gathering is about making it easy to say yes. To invite the neighbors over. To call a friend you’ve just run into at the market. To decide the night before that you’d like a few people around your table and know you can pull it off without stress.
Here’s what that looks like.
The Plan
As in: what’s the plan?
Have you invited the neighbors over for drinks? Are you having a clam bake? Is there an occasion, or is this simply an excuse to get together?
Establish a date and time, then consider a simple idea you can comfortably execute. Low-key entertaining isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about simplifying expectations.
Foolproof Food
As in: a handful of dishes you’ve mastered—or mastered ordering in.
The goal is not culinary excellence. It’s confidence. A few recipes you can make without thinking, a favorite restaurant or takeout order, a trusted dessert, or a simple meal you’ve made a hundred times before.
The less you have to think about the food, the more attention you can give your guests.
The Set-Up
As in: setting the stage.
This may be the most important part. Every time someone comes to my house, whether it’s two people or twenty, I rely on the same set-up. Think of it as repeatable hospitality.
A few simple nibbles. For me, it’s a trio of olives, crisps and nuts. For summer, the spin might be squeezing some citrus over the olives, adding roasted sunflower seeds to the nut mix, in lieu of crisps, adding some bite-size vegetables like radishes or mini heirloom carrots.
Candles if the gathering stretches into the evening.
Nothing elaborate here. Just a routine that can be repeated over and over again with very little effort. The beauty of a repeatable set-up is that it removes decision fatigue. You know exactly what to do, where things go, and what guests need when they arrive.
Good Ingredients and Supplies
As in: having the basics covered.
Good olive oil. Good salt. Good food ingredients. Seasonal preferably. Cloth napkins. Some flatware, plates, glasses that are your uniform for dressing up or down. A few favorite serving pieces. Drinks you enjoy serving. An ice bucket. A pitcher.
These are the things you reach for constantly. The more prepared you are, the less entertaining feels like work and the more it feels like what it should be: having people over.
THE SEASON’S BEST
Worth The Wait
There are certain things summer produces that cannot be improved upon. That’s the honest truth about peak-season eating: the food does the work.
A ripe tomato doesn’t need much help. Neither do fresh summer figs.
The things I look forward to most each year—all the varieties of tomatoes, from heirloom and Kumato to sweet cherry tomatoes, white corn, green and black figs, giant Bing cherries, and peaches at their peak—are so fleeting that when they finally arrive, they deserve center stage on the plate.
And honestly, part of what makes summer entertaining so easy is that nature has already done much of the heavy lifting. The ingredients arrive requiring very little beyond the good sense not to overcomplicate them.
A good summer tomato needs little more than flaky salt and good olive oil. Maybe a clove of garlic if you're making a bruschetta or a raw summer pasta sauce. A perfectly ripe white peach or donut peach is its own dessert. A wedge of melon wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma becomes a first course, no further fuss required.
My summer pantry, whether I’m in the city or at the beach, is built around two kinds of ingredients: the basics that are shelf-stable and used year-round, and those that are seasonal. For summer, that means I make sure I have plenty of extra-good olive oil and local honey on hand because I use so much of both. Maldon sea salt. Excellent cheeses and olives that can be pulled from the fridge for snacking or served up to someone who’s dropped by. Fresh summer herbs—basil, cilantro, and lots of mint—great butter, and a loaf of good sourdough.
And then there are my favorite summer dishes, some of which are hardly recipes at all. Burrata topped with torn basil and a lemon-forward vinaigrette. Or burrata with that same vinaigrette, pistachios, olive oil, and fresh basil. A zucchini platter finished with parmesan and mint, or fresh watermelon with feta and mint. There are a gazillion variations of fruit, vegetables, cheese, and herbs that really shine during the summer months.
If company is coming, I might call my godson (a chef!) to guide me through roasting a fish in a salt crust. It’s easy enough, but I still need to hone my fish skills. Or I might marinate filets, grill fajitas so everyone can make their own—which is wonderfully casual, easy, and great for meat eaters and vegetarians alike—or make a ratatouille a day ahead.
With the exception of the fish, all of these feel unfussy because they’re on rotation and I have them down. This is key. The common denominator is ease and allowing the ingredients to take center stage, which is precisely what summer does best.
Perhaps that’s what I love most about summer food. We’re able to get most things year-round these days, but summer reminds me that some things are still worth waiting for. There’s simply no substitute for local heirloom tomatoes, white peaches, sweet corn, and all the delicious berries. They’re here for a brief moment and then disappear again. Their season is short, which is precisely what makes them so sweet and taste this darn good.
While there’s no shortage of inspiration for simple summer food, here are a few dishes I’m currently experimenting with and a handful that are always on repeat—my foolproof group, a few of which you’ve seen before.
BLT SALAD
PESTO BUTTERMILK VINAIGRETTE
VICTORIAN SPONGE CAKE WITH JAM AND FRESH WHIPPED CREAM
ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI (ALLA NERANO)
SUMMER CITRUS SALAD
MEXICAN STYLE LETTUCE WRAPS
And, of course, anything involving tomatoes.
RAW TOMATO SUMMER PASTA (PASTA AL POMODORO CRUDO)
THE SUMMER TABLE
Designing For Ethos And Ease
The summer table doesn’t need to be elaborate. In fact, for a truly low-key summer, it should be just the opposite. It simply needs to feel considered. A little intention goes a long way, and I promise your guests will feel cared for because of it.
The images that follow are less a set of rules than a visual vocabulary for creating a table that feels relaxed, welcoming, and entirely in keeping with the season.
To me, the table is less about decoration and more about atmosphere. It’s setting a tone. It’s creating a place where people want to linger, pour another glass of wine, and stay for more conversation.
My approach is always simple: linen or cloth napkins over paper, always. A restrained palette of materials—whether all white, all terracotta, all woven textures, or all natural wood tones.
Market flowers rather than florist arrangements. Loose, slightly imperfect stems gathered in vessels you already own. Even foraged or field flowers found roadside, branches from your backyard, I’ve used them all to great effect.
Think too of simple things like a pitcher of water infused with sliced citrus and herbs. Candles, even at lunch. And don’t forget music. The vibe is everything when leaning into a laid back mode.
What I’ve been drawn to lately is the idea of mixing things. Grandmother’s china with new linen. Market flowers in a clay jug. Vintage serving pieces alongside everyday plates. Mismatched glasses that somehow belong together. There’s a composed carelessness to it that often feels more inviting—and ultimately more sophisticated—than a perfectly matched set.
For summer tablescapes, think horizontal rather than vertical. Keep arrangements low and conversation easy. Use what you already have on hand. A bowl of lemons. Fresh herbs in a jar. A scattering of peaches. Branches clipped from the garden. Wild grasses gathered on a walk. A small board with good bread and cheese waiting at one end of the table.
The point isn’t perfection. It’s abundance wrapped in simplicity, without excess. Ease with care, but a certain nonchalance.
TIPS FOR LAID BACK SUMMER ENTERTAINING
The Easier, The Better
A few things I’ve learned about entertaining without exhausting yourself:
Do one thing really well.
One beautiful salad. One perfect roast chicken. Great bread and cheese waiting on arrival. The more singular the offering, the more memorable it tends to be. Abundance isn’t necessarily a quantity game. More often, it’s about generosity and ease.
Make and prep as much as you can ahead of time
Cold food is summer food. Gazpacho, marinated salads, grain dishes, ratatouille, poached proteins—nearly everything gets better overnight. Then, on the day of, you’re simply assembling rather than cooking.
Give people something to do.
Set out a board of things to graze on when guests arrive. It removes the pressure of perfect timing and makes the arrival feel relaxed and welcoming. People love to gather around food, and a few nibbles immediately puts everyone at ease.
Outsource the right things.
There’s no virtue in making everything from scratch. A great bakery tart, excellent crackers, beautiful olives, high-quality smoked fish, or a favorite prepared dish can be every bit as enjoyable as something homemade. The goal is hospitality, not proving a point.
Let the season carry and close the meal.
A perfectly ripe peach. A handful of cherries. A wedge of aged cheese. A small glass of something cold and sweet. Some of the best summer desserts I’ve ever been served were exactly that simple—and entirely unforgettable.
At the end of the day, the easiest entertaining is often the most enjoyable. Less time in the kitchen. More time at the table. That’s a trade I’ll make every time.
SOURCES
Food, Cook and Table Top–Everything Worth Knowing
The difference between a good summer table and a great one often comes down to sourcing. Not the most expensive options—the most considered ones. The right olive oil, a beautiful loaf of bread, an armful of flowers from the market, or a handmade serving piece can elevate even the simplest gathering. These are some of my favorite places to shop, browse, and gather inspiration.
Cook Shops & Specialty Food
SOS Chefs, tucked into a low-key storefront at 104 Avenue B in the East Village, is one of New York’s best-kept culinary secrets. It has been the pantry of choice for many of the city’s best chefs since 1996, carrying exotic spices, truffles, mushrooms, oils, vinegars, and provisions sourced directly from producers around the world. Walking in feels like discovering a cabinet of curiosities. This is where your summer pantry gets interesting.
La Boîte, the atelier of spice master Lior Lev Sercarz on 11th Avenue, is another obsession. His chef-crafted spice blends are unlike anything you’ll find in a grocery store—complex, intentional, and designed to do something specific. A well-chosen spice blend is one of the fastest routes to a dish that tastes like you know exactly what you’re doing.
Kalustyan’s on Lexington Avenue is a pilgrimage for any serious home cook. Operating since 1944, it houses two floors of specialty ingredients, spices, oils, grains, teas, dried flowers, condiments, and pantry staples from around the globe. It’s the sort of place where you inevitably leave with three things you came for and ten you didn’t know existed.
Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Company, located in a historic Greenwich Village storefront, is packed to the rafters with salts, sugars, rubs, spice blends, peppers, peppercorns, wild mushrooms, and countless culinary treasures. If you enjoy wandering and discovering, this is your place.
Tabletop & Entertaining
When it comes to the table itself, I tend to favor shops that feel collected rather than overly curated.
Jane Cookshop is one of my favorites for handmade cutting boards, artisan condiments, block-printed napkins, beautiful serving pieces, and those small details that make entertaining feel personal.
Fredericks & Mae offers colorful glassware, wavy ceramics, serving bowls, and objects that feel playful without sacrificing sophistication.
Big Night, with locations on the Upper East Side and in the West Village, has quickly become a favorite source for glassware, table linens, olive oils, tinned fish, condiments, flatware, and entertaining essentials sourced from around the country and abroad.
And nestled in the heart of the West Village, Hudson Grace offers a beautifully edited selection of dinnerware, drinkware, linens, décor, and vintage-inspired pieces that make even everyday meals feel a bit more special.
The Markets
No list would be complete without the markets.
The Union Square Greenmarket is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful markets in the country during the summer months. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the stalls fill with heirloom tomatoes, just-cut flowers, heritage meats, regional cheeses, and peaches so ripe they’re nearly embarrassing. Many of New York’s best chefs shop here. Go before noon, bring a tote bag, and leave the list at home. Let what’s best tell you what to make.
The Flower District on 28th Street in Chelsea is the other essential stop. Open early on weekdays, this wholesale district welcomes the public and offers a remarkable selection of flowers, herbs, branches, grasses, and seasonal blooms. The difference between what you’ll find here and at a standard florist can be significant. Bring cash, go early, and build your table from there.
And if you can’t get to the Greenmarket or Flower District, don’t give it a second thought. Whole Foods, Costco, Trader Joe’s, local farmers’ markets, neighborhood florists, and independent grocers all offer beautiful ingredients and inspiration throughout the summer months.
The goal isn’t to source perfectly. It’s to source thoughtfully. Summer entertaining is meant to feel easy. Buy the best ingredients and supplies you can find, wherever you happen to be, and take it from there.
YOUR SUMMER DESIGN PLAN
Keeping It Low Key
It’s easy. Just remember summer entertaining at its best is not about the menu, the matchbook, or the perfectly arranged centerpiece. It’s about ease—and keeping it super laid back for you and your guests’.
The meals I remember most were rarely the most elaborate. They were the ones where the food was simple, the conversation was good, and nobody seemed in a hurry to leave.
That’s really the art of easy entertaining. A little planning. A few favorite recipes. Good ingredients. A relaxed table. The confidence to keep things simple.
Whether you’re gathering friends in a city apartment, around a backyard table, at the beach, on a terrace, or around a fire-pit, the formula is remarkably similar. Feed people well. Make them feel welcome. The rest tends to take care of itself.
So if there is a design plan for summer, perhaps it’s this: do a little less. Let the season carry more of the load. Buy the peach. Open the wine. Light the candle. Pull up another chair.
And when in doubt, remember that nobody is coming for perfection. They’re coming for you.
Here’s to a summer of minimum planning, maximum hospitality, and gatherings worth lingering over.
