Unnamed UK Prime Minister

Well, so let's get kind of clinical here and talk about how all of this works. Because it's not every day we get to pick the brain of the Barefoot Contessa. Okay. And it's really only once a year that I think so many of us are really focused on the act of really hosting, which is Thanksgiving. So just talk us through the elements of a good meal, a good dinner party. What's essential? What's not?

Well, so let's get kind of clinical here and talk about how all of this works. Because it's not every day we get to pick the brain of the Barefoot Contessa. Okay. And it's really only once a year that I think so many of us are really focused on the act of really hosting, which is Thanksgiving. So just talk us through the elements of a good meal, a good dinner party. What's essential? What's not?

Let's allow ourselves to go rather deep on this subject in a way we normally might not otherwise.

Let's allow ourselves to go rather deep on this subject in a way we normally might not otherwise.

How much do you think about, how much should we be thinking about the group of people that you're bringing together? Thanksgiving is unique, of course. You don't always have a choice of who's in your family and who gets to come, who has to come. But to the extent that you do have a choice, how do you think about combining the right mix of people?

How much do you think about, how much should we be thinking about the group of people that you're bringing together? Thanksgiving is unique, of course. You don't always have a choice of who's in your family and who gets to come, who has to come. But to the extent that you do have a choice, how do you think about combining the right mix of people?

Okay, the food. How do you decide what to serve or not to serve? And I'm not just talking about dietary restrictions, which, by the way, always come up, but just the whole question of what is going to be possible within the time that you have, what's going to feel the right level of simple food, Or if you wanted to, fussy and formal and meeting the occasion.

Okay, the food. How do you decide what to serve or not to serve? And I'm not just talking about dietary restrictions, which, by the way, always come up, but just the whole question of what is going to be possible within the time that you have, what's going to feel the right level of simple food, Or if you wanted to, fussy and formal and meeting the occasion.

Okay, so now that we've talked about the food, the table, what's on the table? So let's talk about levels of how much we're supposed to even care about this. I care about it. Then it's important. My mother and I have been fighting for as long as I can remember about whether it's okay to use paper or plastic plates. How do you set the table and how much fuss do you put into it?

Okay, so now that we've talked about the food, the table, what's on the table? So let's talk about levels of how much we're supposed to even care about this. I care about it. Then it's important. My mother and I have been fighting for as long as I can remember about whether it's okay to use paper or plastic plates. How do you set the table and how much fuss do you put into it?

Right. Everything we're talking about here is really just a tool to bring people together. It doesn't really matter which tool we use. Exactly. Okay. Once the dinner's underway, the food is out, the conversation's going, I have to imagine once in a while in this line of business you're in, you went into the problem of a guest, a relative, a problem person. And how do you deal with that?

Right. Everything we're talking about here is really just a tool to bring people together. It doesn't really matter which tool we use. Exactly. Okay. Once the dinner's underway, the food is out, the conversation's going, I have to imagine once in a while in this line of business you're in, you went into the problem of a guest, a relative, a problem person. And how do you deal with that?

I'm thinking of my family. I'm thinking about an uncle of mine.

I'm thinking of my family. I'm thinking about an uncle of mine.

The dominator.

The dominator.

What do you do? You don't do anything.

What do you do? You don't do anything.

At this point, I think some of our listeners might be thinking to themselves, Serve the food already, Michael. Be done with it, Ina. This is not how I think about dinner. You guys are overthinking the whole thing.

At this point, I think some of our listeners might be thinking to themselves, Serve the food already, Michael. Be done with it, Ina. This is not how I think about dinner. You guys are overthinking the whole thing.