Help! My Dinner Guests Are Vegan!

So, you have some vegan guests coming over for dinner. Or maybe you want to experiment and host a theme-based dinner party. Whether you follow the vegan way or just want to dip your metaphorical cracker into a dairy-free dip, there’s no denying that vegan food has a certain hold on all of us. But if you’re daunted by the aspect of hosting a vegan-themed dinner party, there’s no one better to allay your fears than a certified plant-based chef like Raveena Taurani herself. “Remember, hosting is a sensational experience so you must always cater to the five senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch.”

Read on to find out the ins and outs of hosting the ultimate vegan dinner party.

What is your hosting philosophy? How does that extend into the experience you provide your guests at home?

My hosting philosophy is simple: "you enter my home, you must eat!" For any dinner/tea parties I host at home, I always have a food plan nailed three days before the actual party. I feel planning in advance allows me to think of a menu that will excite me to prepare for my guests, give me enough time to source all the ingredients I may need and think about presentation.

What would be the menu for this meal? What cuisine would you tap into and how would you go about creating this menu?

A typical dinner menu would consist of three appetisers, two mains and one great dessert but it would also depend on the season and locally available ingredients. In terms of cuisine, my go to cuisines are Asian, Indian, Lebanese and Mexican. But first priority is ingredients - I let them decide what I will eventually make.

I also feel at the end of the day, you have to be mindful of wastage, so if you serve one great dessert, it's way more satisfying than having too many to choose from and feeling like you're missing out.

For those who are new to vegan cooking, what are some essential pantry staples they should have on hand for preparing delicious meals?

A Great Vegan Feta Cheese - it goes well in salads, inside tikkis/kebabs and can be used even on a charcuterie board.

Vegan Milk - Almond or Oat Milk for desserts, especially as you will need a liquid ingredient to bring your batter together if you are baking a recipe.

Vegan Sauces/Dips - it really helps to have some of these in stock so that you are not starting from scratch.

Good Quality Silken Tofu - Good tofu is a versatile ingredient that takes the flavour of anything and everything and is super blendable for desserts too.

Hosting a dinner often involves catering to various dietary restrictions. How do you approach menu planning to accommodate different dietary needs while keeping the focus on vegan options?

I think this has been my special skill for over 10 years - to be able to cook for anyone with any dietary restriction. Once, I made food for a client who had an allergy list to 35 different types of foods! My main approach is to always consider what main dishes I am cooking that can incorporate a batch of the same dish with the dietary restriction too.