Come on Over 

Amy Thielen had been cooking in some of New York City’s top kitchens before she and her husband returned to their native Minnesota, where she began writing cookbooks and hosting parties to crowd-test new recipes. “We are in a rural area, surrounded by lakes but far from restaurants,” she says. “Summers, especially, are full of new visitors and friends coming back home. I’ve fallen into a rhythm now of having everyone over and cooking for them.”

Chef Amy Thielen photographed by Kristin Teig

Along the way, Thielen found herself piecing together menus across occasions, from small dinner parties to afternoon feasts that stretch into the evening hours. These compilations served as the inspiration and backbone for her book Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others. It is a colorful, comforting guide to gathering more frequently—with fewer frills and far less fuss.

“I’ve been making some of these recipes for 20 years, and I’ve been able to determine what works together seasonally, what ideas are feasible for a home cook, and what goes well together on the plate,” says Thielen. “Each menu is its own little world.” Take, for example, “Saturday Night,” a chapter featuring flavorful dinner party ideas ranging from “all-you-can-eat fish fry” to “pent-up winter grilling” or the “Holiday” chapter, a thoughtful series of menus guiding readers through life’s seasonal markers (with hearty mains and bold starters, such as smoked prime rib and cast-iron garlic shrimp).

In all of them, Thielen wants to remind home cooks to have fun and rather than getting focused on tackling everything the book outlines, to pick and choose what works best. “Just like in a symphony, when you’re making a menu, you don’t want every item to be complicated and loud—a simple dish goes a long way; your plate needs a rhythm section, too.” It’s for that reason that Thielen emphasizes simple vegetable sides throughout the book’s pages, in bright, approachable applications like smashed garlic cucumbers, or steamed and glazed white sweet potatoes.

For Thielen, those precious moments of decision and riffing before guests arrive are a crucial part of the creative process. “My favorite time of any dinner party is when I am in the kitchen and in the zone of creating,” she says. “As chefs, this is what we aspire to do every day—to peruse the market, invite our friends over, play our music, and spend the day cooking—in our slippers,” she says. It’s an invitation she extends to others in their own versions of easy entertaining—foregoing formalities for what she believes we’re all ultimately seeking when we come to the table: connection.

“I’ve always found that a successful dinner party is one that leaves everyone with their own takeaway, from ‘Wow, those flavors worked so well on that plate,’ to ‘I loved when we were all there sitting around the fire and cooking the pork,’” she says. “It’s all about connecting with your people.”

Sour Orange Platter Salad with Parsley and Pistachios photographed by Kristin Teig

The home, in its intimate posture, is a powerful vehicle in fostering that kind of connection—especially as a place for breaking bread. “There’s a vulnerability in cooking a meal for others—you are putting yourself out there.” Thielen’s own entertaining days began early, with her mother inviting others over at the drop of a hat, just to give friends and neighbors a place to congregate. “A lot of times, she’d throw garage parties, with a picnic table full of food and a boombox for tunes.” That local house party tradition continues today, now looking, as Thielen puts it, like “going to someone’s house, checking out their garden and projects, sampling their food (and homemade liqueur), and toddling off into the night holding a jar of canned pickles.” In having people to your home, Thielen reminds, “You welcome somebody into your world—and people are eager for that kind of openness.”

Here, Thielen shares with us four tips for entertaining with ease, helping to ensure an afternoon or evening of connection and creative flow throughout the home—from the stovetop to the table.

1. You can never have too much food.

When in doubt, Thielen suggests picking up more at the store than less—especially in the case of a last-minute increase in party size (or in appetites). That being said, if you have even more guests than you tried to anticipate, don’t worry about rushing back out to grab something—rather, consider what you have on-hand and improvise. “If you feel like you don’t have enough food prepped, look at the ingredients you do have, then whip up another vegetable side,” she says. “I’m a big believer in sides because they’re simple and quick—and they create more options for vegetarians at the table.”

2. Loud-enough music and low lighting cover up all mistakes.

When Thielen and her husband first moved back home, their cabin wasn’t connected to the power grid—but that didn’t stop them from hosting frequent gatherings. In fact, Thielen notes, it enhanced those evenings with the mood it set (and the forgiveness it gave around dish presentation, décor details, and the like). Having the right music helps, too. “I like to start the night with something soulful and familiar, then see how the evening evolves,” she says. “Dionne Warwick is a favorite.”

Photo by Kristin Teig

3. Never let your friends see your fear or your thrift.

“In this book, I wanted to talk about thrift, how to cook for others affordably,” says Thielen. “Serve the best ingredients you can afford, and pad out the menu with inexpensive starches, such as beans, rice, or potatoes.”

4. Prep like mad until people arrive—then share the reins.

“My mother would always still be cooking when we’d come to her house because she wanted dishes fresh and hot when everyone sat down,” says Thielen. Plus, she notes, inviting guests to help is an invitation of inclusion. “When people come over, they want to feel like they’re a part of your inner circle,” she says. “Leave a few things for others to do, so that everybody feels like they’re a part of the process—so that they feel like family.”

This story appears in One Adventures, Berkley One’s digital magazine celebrating creators, experiences and stories. Read the full issue here.

Want even more One Adventures? Read our other issues: Issue 01; Issue 02; Issue 03; Issue 04; Issue 05; Issue 06; Issue 07; Issue 08; Issue 09

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