How to Host the Holidays Like a James Beard Award Winner
Tips and tricks for creating festive vibes, amazing menus, and a stress-free kitchen.
Thu, November 13, 2025
Hosting a holiday meal can be a joyful occasion and a delicious excuse for a party—but it can also be incredibly hectic and stressful to pull off. Besides planning, prepping, and cooking dinner, there’s also decor, ambiance, and above all, making sure guests have fun. In anticipation of the upcoming holiday season, we asked the chefs and restaurateurs behind three 2025 James Beard Award–winning restaurants—Outstanding Restaurant winner Frasca Food and Wine, Best New Restaurant winner Bûcheron, and Outstanding Hospitality winner Atomix—to share their top tips for hosting a festive, delicious, and stress-free holiday gathering.
Plan and Prep Ahead
Simplify your menu
Any food-centric gathering starts with a great menu, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go overboard or make complicated dishes for the sake of impressing guests. “Focus your menu on what is truly delicious to you and your family and less about an abundance of dishes,” says Ian Palazzola, executive chef of Frasca Food and Wine, the 2025 James Beard Award winner® for Outstanding Restaurant, located in Boulder, Colorado.
Jeanie Janas Ritter, co-owner and hospitality director at Minneapolis’ Bûcheron, the 2025 James Beard Award winner® for Best New Restaurant, agrees with the sentiment of streamlining. Since she and her husband, Adam Ritter, chef/co-owner of Bûcheron, only have one oven at home, they forgo roasting a whole turkey and make turkey roulades instead. “It’s a total game changer: up to a week in advance we brine the turkey, debone it, separate the dark and white meat, and roll them into roulades. Then we cook them sous vide to the perfect temperature for tender, juicy, and flavorful turkey.”
Prep like a chef
Chefs and restaurateurs agree that having a meal-prep game plan and a solid mise en place for your ingredients is key for minimizing stress in the kitchen. “First, look over all of your recipes or ideas and make sure you have organized what needs to be done. For example, if multiple recipes need celery or onions, prepare them all at once,” Palazzola says. “Preparing any items ahead of time, like cutting vegetables or making broths, will save you a lot of stress.”
You can also tackle your prep list in short time increments. “With two little kids constantly on the move, I’ve fully embraced the art of maximizing small pockets of time. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in just 15 minutes when you have a solid plan,” Janas Ritter says.
Invite guests into the kitchen
Guests often like to congregate in the kitchen, so Janas Ritter plans her task list to allow others to help; for example, taking care of making pie crust but enlisting others to peel and slice apples for the filling. “My family and close friends always want to be in the kitchen, and some of the best, most effortless conversations happen when the pressure’s low and you’re working side-by-side,” she says.
Jeanie Janas Ritter of Bûcheron. (Photo: Eliese Johnson)
Create Festive Vibes
Pop some bubbles
Nothing says ‘party’ like a glass of bubbly. Ellia Park, co-owner of Atomix, the 2025 James Beard Award winner® for Outstanding Hospitality, likes kicking off celebratory gatherings with a glass of Champagne, but you can also opt for sparkling wines such as rosé or Blanc de Blancs, or a non-alcoholic sparkler like cider or grape juice.
Break the ice
Having a non-cringeworthy ice breaker is key for introducing guests who might not know one another, and a lighthearted activity can be helpful for defusing family tensions. “I love the idea of a small ice-breaking game,” Park says. “Like asking everyone to share the most memorable dish they had this year.” You can also play a short round of trivia, centered on a particular theme like foodie facts or holiday movies.
Get cozy with lighting
One of the subtle factors that lends ambiance to a restaurant dining experience is lighting. “Warm lighting can make such a difference—it helps people feel relaxed and comfortable, setting the right tone for the night,” Park says. For the holidays, Janas Ritter relies on candlesticks to create a warm, inviting atmosphere and add an extra festive touch. You can also try swapping out white light bulbs for soft yellow light bulbs in light fixtures.
Curate a killer playlist
A good playlist is crucial for creating immaculate vibes at restaurants and at-home get togethers alike. “Every generation loves a thoughtful, curated playlist for the day of celebration,” Palazzola says. Many music streaming services offer curated party playlists organized around different holiday themes or crowd-pleasing genres. Consider volume too—it should be something you notice in the background without interrupting conversation, Janas Ritter says.
Get creative with decorations
It’s okay if you don’t have time for elaborate decorations—focus on details that matter to you. "I love bringing out the treasured decorations my mom and aunts used when I was growing up, maybe even ones they had as kids, and seeing my own children begin to cherish them the same way I did,” Janas Ritter says. If there are kids at the party, set up a craft table so they can make their own holiday keepsake, like a paper chain or ornament.
Ellia Park and Junghyun Park of Atomix. (Photo: Galdones Photography)
Take a Cue From Restaurant Hospitality
Rely on small, yet thoughtful details
Memorable restaurant meals are the sum of dozens of hospitality touches. These small, yet impactful gestures not only make guests feel taken care of; they dial back the stress for hosts too. Park recommends using name cards that display names on both sides. “So not only can each guest find their seat easily, but others can also address them by name throughout the evening,” she says. “It’s a simple, yet meaningful detail that creates a warm and personal connection at the table.”
One of her other tried-and-true hosting tips centers on beverages. “Since people tend to enjoy several glasses of wine over the evening, don’t forget to prepare some cute wine glass tags—it’s both practical and charming,” she says.
Send guests home with something extra
Many high-end dining experiences include sending guests home with a treat, such as housemade granola or a small pastry for the next morning. And since holiday feasting means lots of leftovers, you’ve got a built-in way to ensure your guests are well taken care of long after the meal ends. Palazzola makes a practical suggestion: “Offer organized, takeaway containers for people to take and fill with leftovers when they leave.” This has the added benefit of reducing clean-up time and refrigerator organization efforts for you, too.
Photo: Galdones Photography
Beverage Service
Stock your bar with the basics
Whenever Janas Ritter hosts a party, she keeps the bar stocked with basic spirits like gin, bourbon, vodka, and tequila, and essential mixers such as ginger beer, tonic, soda water, and vermouth. “If a friend has a favorite spirit, having it on-hand shows real thought and care,” Janas Ritter says.
Non-alcoholic options are non-negotiable
Don’t forget to offer one or two non-alcoholic options for those who are sober, abstaining from alcohol, or moderating their consumption. "Even if you’re drinking, a Phony Negroni or a quality non-alcoholic beer lets you keep the vibe going without overdoing it, especially when you're celebrating over a long day,” Janas Ritter says.
Set up a self-serve beverage station
“When our friends host dinner parties, since most of them are in the industry, we often decide which wines to open right from the start," Park says. "But because everyone’s preferences can vary, I think having a self-serve beverage station is a great idea.” Janas Ritter likes to prepare a large-batch signature cocktail that can be poured over ice so that guests can easily help themselves.
Keep the wine simple
Don’t worry too much about wine pairings, the pros say. Choose what you like to drink or a crowd-pleasing favorite bottle, and don’t feel obligated to go over your budget. “To me, [Thanksgiving] is all about food and family; sometimes overcomplicating beverages can be an added stress,” Palazzola says. “Keep it simple and offer a really clean crisp white and a bright and mineral red wine.” For Thanksgiving, Janas Ritter recommends a nice, rounded rosé. “It pairs beautifully with turkey,” she says.
Offer a digestif to keep the party going
“To wrap up the evening, I love offering a tray of digestifs: Amari, Calvados, or a lovely schnapps, depending on the theme of the meal,” Janas Ritter says. “They are perfect to keep the conversation going at the dinner table or to sip over a board game.”
From left to right: Sergei Kiefel, Peter Hoglund, Bobby Stuckey, Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson, and Alberto Hernandez of Frasca Food and Wine. (Photo: Galdones Photography)
Hosting Etiquette
Ask guests to bring something. Or don’t!
"A party is something to enjoy together, so it’s perfectly fine to ask guests to contribute—especially if it’s something that adds to the shared experience rather than duplicates what’s already there,” Park says. Since guests often offer to bring something unprompted, Janas Ritter advises giving clear guidance, even if it feels awkward to be direct. “Asking for something that complements your gathering—like a charcuterie board, appetizers, dessert, or wine—not only helps round out the event but also takes some pressure off you.” On the wine front, she says that if guests aren’t particularly wine-savvy, suggest a varietal or an affordable bottle that you know will pair nicely with the meal.
Consider ‘to serve or not to serve’
What is the proper etiquette if a guest brings something you didn’t ask for, like a bottle of wine or a dessert? Are you obligated to serve it? Well, it depends. For Palazzola, holidays such as Thanksgiving are all about celebration: “Enjoying a friend or family member’s item they brought is the core of Thanksgiving, but of course you aren't obligated.” For Janas Ritter, it depends on the guest—if someone is sensitive, simply open the wine or place the dessert alongside yours to avoid any hurt feelings. “Otherwise, you can casually say something like, 'I can't wait to enjoy this tomorrow!' to show appreciation without putting any pressure on the moment,” she says.
Bottom line: Rather than stressing out over decor details or an Instagram-worthy menu, hospitality pros recommend that hosts remember to focus on what matters most—time spent with family and friends.