Entertaining with Kelley Moore: Potluck Chic

Even when a random assortment of serving plates is brought to a potluck, it’s easy to create a beautiful tabletop with just a few simple additions. To help achieve a cohesive tabletop for our multicultural feast, I used bamboo table risers to create height and a patchwork tablecloth made of different fabrics where food from each culture is placed. Arranging family photos and, of course, the delicious dishes within their specific section completes the simple yet stylish buffet.



A simple craft project makes a big impact at the serving station; using iron-on T-shirt transfers, I printed stories from my guests about their heritage onto white cotton fabric and then pinned facts and photos onto a large piece of foam core to create a history board. ABOVE: My family dishes were inspired by my Southern roots, and I paid tribute to my grandmother Hattie, who was African and Native American, a fact none of my other guests knew!



In the spirit of our theme, I put out an array of beverages to complement each dish. Guinness beer is the perfect match for Patrick O’Rourke’s Irish mashed-potato dish with scallions and lots of butter. As for me, I had to have some good old-fashioned Coca-Cola as a tribute to my Southern roots.



Guests Patrick O’Rourke, Kim Flannery-Rye and Sammye Golan chat and share photos with me as they dish up specialties from the Dominican Republic, South Korea, Ireland, Norway, Eastern Europe and the American South.



After dinner, Kim Flannery-Rye, Mario Franck and Gabe Johnson play a rousing game of Take Off! an interactive race around the world and a perfect way to cap off a globally inspired fête.  BELOW: To remember the evening, guests take home a handmade cookbook featuring the recipes served at the potluck. To assemble the “Cultured Palate” booklet, I printed out my guests’ recipes on thin cardstock, added a chic map paper cover and tied off the packet with fuzzy red yarn.


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