Host a Come Dine with Me party at home
Compete with friends for the title of 'ultimate dinner party host'
For 11 years the hilarious dining show Come Dine With Me has taken our TV sets by storm. We have seen everything from belly dancers to mankini-clad waiters, all documented by Dave Lamb's tongue-in-cheek narrative.
Fancy having a go yourself? All you need is some willing friends and a few free Saturday nights - take a look at our easy how-to guide for inspiration.
Go on, it's fun, saves the pennies and is sure to brighten up your weekend...
1.
Establish your winnings
At the start of the week establish the winnings. It may not be quite as much as Channel 4's £1,000 prize, but could be a box of chocolates, a bottle of Champagne or a free meal at a local restaurant.
2.
Send menus around
Just as show contestants do, email your menu around to all your friends at the start of the process.
3.
Record yourself prepping and cooking
The host should record themselves prepping various parts of the dinner and send this on a group message. This is sure to give the others a laugh whilst they are getting ready and on their way to your house.
4.
Invite guests to take a tour of your home
Once your dinner guests have arrived and have been showered with welcome drinks, it is only custom that they take a tour of your house. They may be your best friends and have stayed over multiple times, but we would still hide those private bits...
5.
Time to eat
Try not to treat this like your usual Saturday takeaway night with friends - remember, there are prizes up for grabs. Pull out all the stops with a beautiful table setting, free flowing wine and well presented plates of food.
6.
Provide some evening entertainment
Come Dine With Me wouldn't be the same without a bit of light entertainment mid evening. Dancers, fire blowers, bar men and bands have always gone down well so make sure you go for gold with yours.
7.
Hand out score cards
As your slightly tipsy dinner guests are leaving and piling into their waiting cabs, hand out scorecards or mini white boards so they can rate your evening. On the way home friends should send round 10 second Snapchats or a Whatsapp message to one another documenting their score.
The contestant with the highest score at the end of the process wins!
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Tamara was Ideal Home's Digital Editor before joining the Woman & Home team in 2022. She has spent the last 15 years working with the style teams at Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, both now at Future PLC. It’s with these award wining interiors teams that she's honed her skills and passion for shopping, styling and writing. Tamara is always ahead of the curve when it comes to interiors trends – and is great at seeking out designer dupes on the high street.
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