Hosting a memorable dinner party takes more than serving the kind of food you find in a four-diamond restaurant like Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood. It also calls for creating the right ambiance. That’s something we know well from our years of providing fine dining in the Destin, Florida area. And we thought we’d let you in on some of our secrets so you can make your own dinner experience as elegant as ours.
Elegant Table Settings
Start with decorating your table and arranging your table settings. Keep things simple and understated, and let your tablecloth, dishes, silverware and napkins work together to create a sense of elegance. Just like at our four-diamond restaurant, the focus should be on the food. After all, you don’t want anything to overshadow it.
Candles and Mood Lighting
For an elegant dinner, candles are a must. Their glow will not only warm your dining room, but also create intimacy and bring your guests together. You’ll want to underscore the candlelight with some soft overhead lighting. To get the right balance, light your candles and then dim your lights until they enhance the candlelight without outshining it. Lighting in key — visit our restaurant in person to see Destin’s best fine dining and fine lighting throughout our main dining room and private dining areas.
Stimulating Music
Your choice of music should make your guests feel comfortable and create a stimulating mood. At Seagar’s, our piano player sets the tone with songs that both relax our patrons and encourage conversation. Whether you cue up a light jazz mix or curate a bubbly classical playlist, keep the volume soft so it smooths over any potentially awkward silences, yet doesn’t compete with the conversation.
Well-Timed Courses
With your dinner party atmosphere just about in place, you’re ready to consider one last important element — well-timed courses. Whether you cook yourself or call in the caterers, make sure your meal is timed so there’s no lag between drinks, appetizers and dinner. At Seagar’s, that means serving drinks within three minutes of receiving an order, appetizers within 10 and entrees within 20. But depending on how your guests are feeling, you can improvise.
Ultimately, creating great ambiance is about bringing together all the little details to get the mood you’re going for. For some inspiration, visit Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood for a fine dining experience in the Destin-area and see how the pros do it.