Chefs' Advice to First-Time Thanksgiving Cooks
Bobby Flay
Cook within yourself. You don’t want to try to take on too much. I think even as a professional cook, it’s a really hard meal to get to the table. I’m not really sure how [other] people do it. And so I would say, do as much as you can ahead of time. Keep the dishes really simple, and also make some dishes that you’ve done before so you’re not trying to guess every single dish.
Giada De Laurentiis
Do a potluck! Do not try to do it all yourself … get help!
Alex Guarnaschelli
I think if it’s your first time, or even if it’s your second time, or you’re in a time crunch, the best thing to do is write out your whole menu and then cross off at least two things. That’s first and foremost. Second of all, you should have at least two or three side dishes that you can assemble and just bake off, or are literally ready to go, and make them in advance. And that way, even though you’re making this big dramatic spread, you’ve actually reduced the amount of stuff you’re making and it’s just kind of, like, a souped-up regular dinner.
Michael Symon
Get as much done the day before as you can. Get everything cut, prepped. If casserole-style things are done, have them ready to go in the oven. … I’ve been cooking my whole life, but the day before Thanksgiving, I make a full chart on, like, “This goes in the oven at 8, this goes in at 8:15, this comes out at 10, this comes out at 10:45” — just like a play-by-play of what’s going to happen that day so you could follow it [and] cross things off when they’re done.
Geoffrey Zakarian
I always tell people, “If it’s your first Thanksgiving host a potluck.” So, do the turkey, do the gravy, do the stuffing. And then 10 friends that you really can depend on, give them two dishes each. And have them bring it the morning of, drop it off so that you can arrange it. Your life will be much easier.
Anne Burrell
Plan ahead, figure out what you can do ahead and do it. Brine your turkey and then get it all ready to go the night before, so then you just have to shoot it in the oven the next day. … Figure out what you can farm out, you know. Definitely when people say, “What can I bring?” tell them dessert. That kind of stuff, that takes a lot of pressure off as well. Have kids make place cards, ‘cause that’s always fun. It gets them included. Have kids help set the table; they like to be involved. And relax.
Sunny Anderson
Just take it easy. You don’t have to do everything. I’m really into store-bought shortcuts and also into not making it all. So, if you can, go and buy a turkey that’s already made, [one] that’s, like, super fun and fancy … and then just make your sides. Or, conversely, make your turkey [and] buy all the sides. There are a lot of places that you can go and take out turkey dinner and then zhuzh it up in your own trays and containers. As long as you make one or two things that your friends or your guests can talk about, you’re fine. You don’t have to make it all.
Tyler Florence
I would go simple. I would say do fewer, better dishes. And really take your time and think through everything. There’s pre-planning, where you kind of measure twice and cut once. Like, how long is that turkey going to take to cook? Could you maybe buy desserts instead of making everything? Simplifying the side dishes — you don’t need five side dishes, you just really need three. Make them great, you know. I think some sort of vegetable, some sort of, like, carbohydrate-potato-creamy thing, and then a cranberry sauce with turkey.
If you’re a newbie when it comes to hosting your own turkey-day feast, you can be thankful for these tried-and-true tips.
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