Peter Som: How to Throw the Perfect Dinner Party

Not only can Peter Som make a seriously sexy cocktail dress, but he also knows how to throw an elegant yet relaxed dinner party. When we visited the designer at his West Village pad in NYC, we could smell his savory dishes from down the hall. It was two hours before Som was expecting guests for an intimate dinner party, so we quizzed him on everything from cutlery to kale. "I'm not a chef by any means," he told us. "It's about people coming together, meeting new people, and having a good time." Read on to learn Som's cooking and hosting tips!

As evidenced by Som's stocked fridge, he is a fan of Perrier-Jouët Champagne. "I think it goes with everything," he enthused. "It's perfect. It's got a nice effervescence to it, and I love the bottle. I actually buy a case and store it in my pantry. There are always people coming by for anything from a potluck with Asian food to me making turkey Bolognese. Sometimes I just make a big pot of soup and tell whoever is around to come over. People just show up."

"I'm pretending it's spring, even though it's so cold outside," he said of his dish choices for the night. "I just wanted light spring-like food." Here, he preps a kale Caesar salad with pickled onions and roasted carrots. "It's so sturdy," he says of his choice to use kale. "It has so many vitamins and iron. It also has good chew to it, which makes you feel full." His dressing is a mix of Meyer lemon juice, olive oil, a little mustard, a touch of honey, salt, and pepper.

Som has perfected the art of roasting vegetables, and in this case, carrots. "You just have to cut them in a uniform size so that they all roast at the same time," he explained. "Halfway through, you shake the pan, and I actually rotate the pan because it's usually hotter at the back of the oven." He prepped them with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. "Sometimes I do brown sugar or balsamic," he noted. "Anything you would include in a dressing. It will caramelize and get really tasty."

"I go pretty low-key on appetizers—unless they're pigs in a blanket, which are my irrational favorite," said Som. "I totally buy them, but sometimes I sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top before I put them in the oven." For the party, he set out chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano and roasted almonds ("salty things to get the palate going"). He displayed them in his favorite Apilco bowls from Williams-Sonoma. "I only like white dishes," he explained. "It makes the food shine. These little ramekins can be used for soufflés, flourless chocolate cakes, or individual mac and cheese servings. They go in the oven, and they're great."

"I use kosher salt, which is my normal salt," said Som. "Believe it or not, I got this [bowl] at the Jane Street Fair [in NYC]. I thoroughly cleaned it. Well, the salt probably absorbed all of it anyway. I thought it was really cool. It was one of those neighborhood things. Every block has to have an association. This is the Jane Street Association, so every summer, there is a fair, and everyone just cleans out their basements."

For his main course, he chose to serve a panko-crusted salmon. "This recipe you can serve at room temperature, which is its saving grace," he explained. "Choose things that are easy to make in advance, that you can reheat, or that don't need too much TLC." If you're going to make meat, he suggests filet mignon ("It's just a nugget of deliciousness, and you don't have to do a lot to it"). His overall advice is to keep it simple with dishes like soups or crostini.

While the designer prefers white dishes, he goes for gray napkins from Sferra. "White napkins are so impossible to keep clean," he noted. "These are a nice neutral backdrop." He accents them with Juliska bamboo silverware. "They're actually bamboo. I love the organic quality."

And does he believe cooking is like designing fashion? Yes. "You eat with your eyes first," he theorized. "It's really about the proportion of ingredients. It's like the balance of getting all the elements and textures right in a dress." Just like designing a great gown, Som adds visual flair to his dishes. "For savory dishes, sometimes all you need is a little bit of green," he said. "You don't have to go overboard. Just tuck some basil in. Or sprinkle chopped parsley for an extra pop. It's like the equivalent of the necklace or the great statement ring." Seen here, guest Marcus Teo arranging the table.

When it comes to getting dressed for a house party, Som explains, it's not a fashion show. "As a host, I always go more casual, since it's my home," he said. "For guests, it's about looking like you put some effort into it, but it doesn't have to be a blazer and a tie. It's always pretty casual, so you can come as you are. Wear a dress, or something more casual like a great sweater, a pair of jeans, and great shoes. I love to entertain but it's about ease and enjoying the company…and wearing lots of Peter Som [Laughs]." Seen here, guests Karen Duffy, Luis Fernandez, and Eugenia Gonzalez.

To create ambiance, Som illuminated his home with candles. "Candlelight is very important," the designer specified. "I light them right before people come. All I light are those tea lights—unscented ones because you don't want to compete with the food." He buys them in bulk from Ikea.

Som's advice for avoiding party fails: Do your homework. "I was a house guest in the Hamptons, and it was the first time I was going to make dried cherry focaccia," he said. "Well, as it turned out, he was gluten-free. Oops. His friend took it, but that's when you need to do your research."

"I've always liked cooking," Som said. "My mom and my sister love cooking. I started baking just recently—making pies. It was actually after a breakup. It was around the same time as the Keri Russell movie, Waitress, in which she goes through a breakup and makes pies. I was just like Keri Russell. Apple pie is a good place to start. First, you need to get the crust right, and then you're in the crack house. I did some other fruit [pies] and went on to tartes."

But if you haven't mastered the science of baking, then Som advises to leave it to the pros. "Don't be afraid to take some help from the store," he said. "If you don't know how to bake, don't try to bake a chocolate cake. Do an affogato: It's so easy, fun, and you have that hot-and-cold combination." He always keeps Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream or Ciao Bella Triple Espresso Gelato in his fridge.

When it comes to serving dessert, timing is key. "Do it when most people's plates are gone," he advises. "You don't want to just bring it right away. You want to pace it. Once the main course plates are clear, you can start getting it ready. With dessert, plate it and give it to them. A lot of people won't just go up and get it." For this evening, Som whipped up a citrus almond olive oil cake with blood orange compote and mascarpone.