Stephanie Izard knows her dinner party is a hit when “it takes a while to circulate the table and chat with guests.”
Over the years, the culinary TV champion (she was the first female winner of Top Chef and a winner of Iron Chef Gauntlet) and James Beard Award-winning chef has fine-tuned her understanding of what makes for good chemistry both in her own professional kitchens and at an intimate dinner party table. Recently, she chatted with Eater by video about celebrating her many career milestones, fostering camaraderie in the restaurant industry, and the celebratory dinner she hosted with Eater and Capital One at Girl & The Goat this September as part of Eater’s Dinner Party Series.
“It’s crazy to think that it’s been 15 years since Girl & The Goat opened,” Izard laughs, “That’s a lot of time in restaurant years.” In that time, the restaurant has solidified its place as a Chicago (and more recently, Los Angeles) mainstay in American-meets-global nose-to-tail dining, and helped catalyze Izard’s many concept restaurants in the Midwest and West Coast; as recently as March 2025, her latest addition, Valley Goat, opened in Sunnyvale, California. When asked about her strategy for longevity and expansion, Izard is quick to bring up the cruciality of becoming an inviting, bonafide community locale.
For all of her success, however, Izard says that she’s never actually been much of a planner. “But I clearly do have a [thing] for opening new restaurants with these great teams we’ve built,” she says, “We always seem to pull the best people, and the best neighborhoods. And when that happens, it just makes sense to keep [the ball] rolling.”
What is clear in speaking with Izard is her penchant for creating a warm and — perhaps the most coveted of compliments these days — authentic dining environment. When creating the menu for her dinner party with Eater, she pulled popular dishes from her restaurants such as Duck Duck Goat, Cabra, and of course, Girl & The Goat to create an evening that felt like an invitation to join her teams in a culinary victory lap; “We even sent people home [with a goodie bag] of little scones,” she says, adding that “this was one of the most chatty and excited groups. Genuinely. People were just really excited and positive and having fun and just excited to be here.”
Given her dinner party hosting chops, we asked Izard for some tips for throwing an unforgettable gathering at their own homes, from specific platter and glassware recommendations to hosting gift etiquette.
When Izard is hosting dinner at her house, she says it’s usually family-style. “It depends on the size of the party,” she says, “but if it’s at my house, it is usually going to be a buffet. I actually like to put out a bunch of food in different locations in the house, and it doesn’t always even hit at the same time.” She says that having dips on various coffee tables or islands, for example, can also give guests fun side quests. “You spread people out a little bit,” she adds, “and people can find snacks all over, and it’s kind of like a fun adventure.”
Don’t arrive early — or on (very) on time
If the invitation says 8 p.m., Izard says that, unless the meal is noted as time-sensitive, arrival at 8:15 p.m. makes sense. “You don’t want to be super late, but if it’s 7:45, know that I’m still in pajamas and drying my hair. Please don’t come early because I literally won’t be wearing underwear yet.”
Assigned seating can make for better mingling
Again, Izard says this depends on the size of a party. “But I’m all about assigned seating when appropriate,” she says, “For one, I think it’s fun to mix and match couples or guests. I also don’t want anyone to feel left out — like they have to find their seat at the lunch table.”
Let vibrant napkins wake up your tablescape
We’re longtime everyday-cloth-napkin-lovers at Eater. Izard selected this set from Anthropologie as her dinner party pick, adding, “They bring so much vibrancy to the table, with added fun of the napkins not all being exactly the same coloring. I think dinner party napkins should be fun! Sets the vibe.”
Bring some new wines to the table
As Izard says, “Joining a wine club (or a couple) is a great way to get new wines coming regularly! Seems like the perfect reason to host a dinner party, to create fun foods to try alongside new wines! Saviah Cellars is one of my favorite wineries in Walla Walla, WA. Smaller production of beautiful wines produced by a great family! (We also make our house Goat red with them!)”
A welcome cocktail is a must — and get creative with glassware
“Always fun to have a welcome cocktail or mocktail when friends arrive,” says Izard, “I love the retro vibe of this glassware. Lots of different fun designs.”
When in doubt, bring a dip in a cute bowl
Izard also enjoys Anthropologie’s array of colorful dip bowls. “It’s become a running joke, my obsession with dips when I host,” she says. “Always a selection of my faves, from tahini-tofu dip to carrot ‘hummus’ to simple French onion. I think I could just live on dips and be happy.”
Invest in a big, beautiful serving board
Finally, Izard says that she loves “using a great board, either for a great spread of meats and cheeses to start, or for a large format cut of meat along with sides and sauces to let each guest choose their own adventure! The little groove to catch any bit of juices or sauce is key.”
Check out Valley Goat here and learn more about Eater’s Dinner Party series here. Explore more of Eater’s last 20 years of food and culture with Eater Off Menu.
