5 MINUTES WITH: MATT PRESTON

AWARD-WINNING FOOD JOURNALIST, RESTAURANT CRITIC AND TELEVISION PERSONALITY MATT PRESTON SITS DOWN WITH HB FOR A LESSON IN DINNER PARTY ETIQUETTE

What is the secret to throwing a great dinner party?

The people! As a host, your aim should be to spoil your guests – introduce common links between those who don’t know each other well and try and prepare as much of the meal as you can in advance so you can spend plenty of time with them. My mum always said if you are sitting next to someone at a dinner party, you should leave knowing more about them than they know about you. Having a good playlist is important; I like the idea of everyone sharing the phone and picking their own tunes.

Who are your dream dinner party guests?

Lizzo (singer), Meghan and Harry (members of the royal family), Sam

Pang (comedian), Adam Gilchrist (cricketer), Melissa Doyle (television presenter) and Fifi Box (radio presenter).

What’s your biggest dinner party disaster?

I once had friends round and thought it would be funny to dye mash potato blue, and the baked beans extra red. That was pretty bad, but

I think sometimes the best memories are made from the biggest disasters and you just make it work – say you made a dodgy creme brulee from a recipe you read online, well now it’s a custard.

What’s your best advice for minimising dinner party angst?

It can be overwhelming cooking and hosting friends and family, especially when you are trying to make a good impression. Minimise the stress by planning ahead and try not to leave anything to the last minute. This is the aim with the Tanqueray x Marley Spoon collaboration I’ve been part of. It’s designed to make dinner parties a breeze with pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipes, leaving the entertainment and enjoyment up to you.

Shop Matt’s curated Tanqueray x Marley Spoon Ultimate Dinner Party Box range, from $269 (for six people), at marleyspoon.com.au/specials/tanqueray until 26 April, with deliveries available between April 6 and May 3.