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The Perfect Dinner Party

With regard to both his dishes and his dinner parties, Chef Paul Barron of Madison recommends avoiding what's trendy and instead focusing on the heart of the matter. For dishes, it's obvious what's important: freshness and flavor. For a dinner party, it can be a little more complicated.

"I think when people think about dinner parties, they focus all on the decorations, but what people remember and what makes people have a good time is the conversation they have with other people," says Barron. "Setting it up so it's conducive for that is what's going to make it successful. The most important thing is the people there."

Barron grew up in Long Island, then earned a degree in business at Quinnipiac University, where he discovered his love for Connecticut. After studying at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, he returned to the state for good.

"I always wanted to be a chef for as long as I can remember," he says.

Barron began his career at the Union League Café, a French restaurant in New Haven. He went on to work at a Marriott hotel in Hartford, then worked as a chef for restaurants all over the state, and also for Nordstrom's restaurant division. For the last few years, he's worked as a personal chef: putting on dinner parties in private homes, teaching cooking classes, and catering events.

"My main thing was boutique catering, but the big difference between me and a traditional caterer was I didn't drop off cooked food," says Barron, whose training focused on French cuisine. "Whatever I did, I would cook on site. I focus on the core: the flavors of the food, the freshness of the food, the customer service."

Last January, Barron claimed a spot on the Post Road in Madison. Extensive renovations turned the space into a commercial kitchen for his personal chef business and catering.

"We completely renovated the inside," he says.

On Thursday nights, a dozen individuals can enjoy dinner at one big table by reservation.

"The table that I have was my wife's grandmother's table," says Barron. "It's 57 years old. They bought it when they moved from Brooklyn to Long Island—it's got carvings from when my wife was a kid."

As for the meal itself, "It's a set menu, there's no choices, [but you] can put in dietary preferences or preferences," Barron says.

Whether they're for two people or a large-scale, catered event, Barron always cooks on site at his dinner parties. At his parties, it's the opposite of a set menu.

"With clients, it's all custom so I do everything: Japanese, Thai, Southern barbeque, lobster bakes," he says. "The menu-planning process with me is more of a conversation with the customer."

Typically, the parties include 10 people. Barron cooks at the host's home and brings a staff member to help serve a four-course meal from setup to clean-up.

"I've done nine-course tasting menus which are really popular, too," he notes.

The ingredients vary, but everything's fresh.

"I just cook what's fresh and good," he says. "I don't use certain words—fresh seabass or something—because I'm hoping I would only use fresh seabass. I try not to be trendy. I try to be good and quality and focus on that rather than what seems to be popular for the time."

Getting back to the heart of the matter, Barron believes that a dinner party's success depends on the people who are invited. The size of the party should invite mingling, with a good mix of people to ensure interesting conversation.

"A 12-person dinner party is really nice," Barron says. "The guests aren't overwhelmed; they get to participate in conversation with everyone there. There's still a lot of people to talk and see, but it's not a massive party."

At the start, have food ready for the guests' arrival.

"We tend to put out some nice food for when people arrive," he says. "Meats and cheeses work great."

A blackboard with the menu written on it in chalk can help whet their appetite. Don't worry too much about having a cohesive theme for your décor or dishes, but put on some music.

"It doesn't have to be loud or the main focus, but music is very important," says Barron.

Additionally, the host should be an active participant. That means getting food ready in advance, such as blanching veggies beforehand and finishing them with a brief sautéing, or cooking a roast that is almost done when guests appear. The meal should be fresh and hot when it arrives—or feature dishes meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature.

"If you're the host you don't want to be stuck in the kitchen," Barron says. "Room temperature things work great, you don't have to worry about them being hot or cold."

One of Barron's favorite meals—which he offers on Sundays during the summer by pre-order—is a cold fried chicken picnic: buttermilk-brined thighs and drumsticks, red cabbage slaw, and jalapeño-cheddar cast-iron cornbread. Other options include pork or beef tenderloin sliced and served at room temperature, or a grain salad that holds up to a dressing added ahead of time.

"You could do a lentil salad or a quinoa salad, or a bean salad," Barron suggests. "I love a chickpea salad with nice cured imported tuna."

When it comes to beverages, keep it simple. Barron suggests greeting guests with sparkling wine or a signature cocktail. Make sure that water is available throughout, and serve high quality coffee before the guests depart.

"People will remember the first drink they have when they get there and the last drink before they leave," Barron emphasizes.

At a dinner party, guests are free to mingle and walk around. They aren't rushed to leave like they might be in a restaurant. Sometimes they arrive hungry and want to sit down and eat; other times they'll want hor d'oeuvres, drinks, and conversation beforehand. In either case, they're there not just for the food, but the experience.

"I think the food has to be really good, but there are so many other parts of the dinner party that people will remember that are just as important," Barron says. "The important thing is to remember the reason you're having the dinner party in the first place, and just be able to have fun. Plan it so you can enjoy the party, too."

Finally, make plans for the post-party cleanup. You don't want to spend the rest of the evening with an insurmountable load of dishes. Reduce cleanup time by serving finger food, or purchase disposable utensils and plates.

"They have really nice disposable things now that are ecofriendly, which make it really easy for a host to not be stuck in the kitchen at the end with their dishes," Barron says.

It's not all going to be perfect, but don't panic—revel in it. Mismatched plates can be charming, the food doesn't have to be fancy; with good food and good company, the rest will fall into place.

For more information about Chef Paul, visit

www.chefpaulbarron.com.