Molly Baz’s Holiday Hosting Essentials

‘Tis nearly the season of extreme cooking and elaborate feasting, and if you, like me, are interested in throwing the biggest, baddest dinner party ever, you’ve come to the right place. I spoke with chef, author, and entrepreneur Molly Baz, who partnered with Pinterest to curate a list of holiday hosting essentials. It’s a topic on which she is something of an expert. After writing two wildly popular cookbooks, designing her dream kitchen collection with Crate & Barrel, launching her own wine label, and developing a line of soon-to-be-released “sando sauces,” Baz knows how to throw an epic dinner party. Her advice? “Lean into the chaos.” 

For Baz, this means popcorn machines for movie nights, gigantic jars of Castelvetrano olives for make-your-own-martinis, and huge wooden bowls for tossing Caesar salads tableside. In essence, she wants interactive products that distract her guests while she’s cooking and impress them while they’re eating. 

“Entertaining is all about the ‘wow factor’ and doing something that exceeds people’s expectations,” says Baz. “Something theatrical — whether it be tableside sundae carts or Caesar salads — makes for a memorable dinner party.” 

This maximalist approach has Baz reaching for mother-of-pearl dessert spoons and sterling silver crumb catchers, but she urges anyone shopping her Pinterest board to “use it as a jumping-off point.” Read on to shop eight products that are “perfectly” her, and if they don’t resonate, head back to Pinterest to find some that are perfectly you.        

Molly Baz’s Entertaining Essentials 

Homu Design Meta Butter Dish 

Baz’s favorite showstopper of a main course is serving a sizzling ribeye with crispy French fries, a rich jus, and “an abundance of bread, butter, and flaky sea salt.” For those nights, she relies on a butter dish like this one from Homu Design. While its sleek, retro design perfectly matches the old-school vibe of a steak frites dinner, it would also look at home alongside a pile of freshly baked dinner rolls this Thanksgiving or accompanying a Christmas morning brunch spread.    

Le Labo Cedre 11 Scented Candle 

If you’re serving steak frites as your main course, it’s only logical to have a scented candle nearby to cut through the lingering odor of freshly fried potatoes. Baz loves Cedre 11 from Le Labo for its soft, smoky smell, but there are a wide variety of kitchen candles to choose from if the spicy scent of basil or the lighter notes of pear are more your speed.      

Holland Bowl Mill Turned Wood Bowl

When designing a tablescape, Baz and her husband add interest by playing with height. Their favorite hack? Buying bowls in sets of two, so they can flip one over and set the other on top. In addition to adding intrigue to their dining room spread, it also lets their guests better see what’s being served. As with most wooden kitchen utensils, this maple bowl should be washed by hand, dried immediately, and displayed for everyone to see because it’s just that gorgeous.    

Sabre Paris Bistrot Flatware 

Versatile, durable, and stylish, the bistrot-inspired flatware set from Sabre Paris is an excellent addition to any tablescape. It’s sold in a bundle of five pieces (enough for one place setting) and includes one knife, two spoons (dinner and dessert), and two forks (salad and dinner). You can choose from a variety of colors, including asparagus, aquamarine, and burgundy, all of which are made out of stainless steel with resin handles. 

Sophie Lou Jacobsen Fritter Cocktail Mixer 

Not one to leave her barware out of the fun, Baz added Sophie Lou Jacobsen’s Fritter cocktail mixer to her Pinterest board, too. Made of borosilicate glass, tinged with mismatched colors, and dotted with beads of glass, the design is simultaneously funky but understated, simple but special.     

Gohar World Sterling Silver Crumb Catcher 

If you, like Baz, love a crusty loaf of bread, then you, like Baz, are no stranger to a crumb-coated table at the end of a long night. To help clear the mess without compromising her style, she found Gohar World’s crumb catcher. It’s made of sterling silver, costs $290, and is designed to last (and impress). 

Gohar World Set of 6 Mother-of-Pearl Dessert Spoons 

Gohar strikes again with its mother-of-pearl dessert spoons. With six in the set and three unique designs, they’re the perfect unexpected addition to any holiday tablescape. Serve them with ice cream, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, and more. 

Ghia Le Fizz 2-Pack 

Ghia is beloved by cocktail and “mocktail” drinkers alike, Baz included. The bubbly blend has notes of strawberry, black currant, and orange blossom, making it the perfect pick for non-alcoholic spritzes. Ghia can see you through long nights and slow lunches without punishing you the next day with a pounding headache.