Leawood residents and catering experts Chef Kyle and Hannah Williams, owners of KC’s Savor & Swirl culinary company, create an outdoor dinner party with chef-driven perennial dishes served in beautiful seasonal settings.
For this alfresco Autumn Dinner Party, Chef Kyle draws on favorite fall recipes updated for a modern palate and paired with wine selections to complement the bountiful feast. Hannah creates an iconic autumn ambience using artisanal table settings and mixed flannels for each guest to blanket any chill on a brisk evening. Whether for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or a new November tradition, it’s time to get outdoors again surrounded in sweater-weather coziness while sharing bites and clinks with family and friends.
Insider Tips for Hosting:
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Build a menu around the season. “In November, people crave turkey, sage stuffing and cranberry sauce,” Chef Kyle says. “Autumn dinners mean bigger-course meals with varied proteins, like turkey, duck and sirloin, hearty starches, and good fall produce, especially root vegetables such as butternut squash and pumpkin.”
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Always greet guests with a beverage and appetizers. “Offer champagne for wine-lovers or a sparkling drink or signature cocktail. It’s all about serving guests to the highest caliber,” Kyle says.
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Draw inspiration from the season’s changing colors, cooler temps and lower humidity to move back outdoors. “Think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer.”
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“You can’t go wrong with fresh flowers,” Hannah says, “but keep bouquets low to not interfere with conversation flowing. For fall, I like richer, jewel-toned florals to mix and match and keep whimsical. I vary glass vases with burnished brass for warm fall vibes.”
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An easy but thoughtful detail is to put a simple menu at each place setting, so guests know what to expect. “Add a pen, so guests can jot tasting notes, especially for wine pairings or multiple courses,” Hannah says. “Guests can share comments, then take the menu home as a sweet reminder of the event.”
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Follow the French principle of mise en place or everything in place before your event. “This is actually our company’s name,” Kyle says. “It’s that important to us. Make sure the wines are all open, cocktails are pre-made, place settings are out, candles are lit and music is playing. When guests arrive, it gives that wow-factor and shows you intentionally made them feel special.”
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To build confidence as a host, start small and practice. “Keep the menu and guest list small,” Kyle says. “Choose recipes you already have confidence in. If you make a great Beef Stroganoff, then go with that. People will love it!”
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As fun as it is to dine outside, always have an indoors back-up plan. “We’ve had to bring it indoors before,” Hannah says. “It’s still fun.”
AUTUMN DINNER PARTY
RECEPTION
CANAPÉS
CHEESE BRÛLÉES
aged goat cheese, thyme, figs, local honey, petite greens
APÉRITIF
Champagne
DINNER MENU
Roasted Whole Duck
Brined & Smoked Turkey breast
Grilled Bone-In Ribeye Steaks
Chef’s Sage Gourmet Stuffing
Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Hardwood Smoked Bacon
Heirloom Root Vegetable Hash
Red Bliss Buttered Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Cranberry Orange Zest Sauce
Fresh Baked Dinner Rolls & Whipped Butter
Dessert
Traditional Pumpkin Pie, Whipped Cream
WINE PAIRING
According to Savor & Swirl, wine pairing doesn’t need to be overly complicated for a casual outdoor dinner party. Have a lighter and fuller body style of white and red available with some sparkling thrown in.
“Lighter to medium-bodied wines from Rhône Valley, Italy or California would be a good place to start,” they state. “Viognier is one of our favorite wines that goes great with fall-inspired cuisines. Pinot Noir wine goes great with just about any food. Lean towards California or Willamette Valley for a new-world style and go with France for a more earthy, old-world style. A big bold Napa Cab would fall in perfectly for the grilled ribeye steak! Cheers!”
Fresh Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Hardwood Smoked Bacon
Yield: 6 servings
4 cups Brussels sprouts, raw, halved
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup yellow onion, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, sliced thin
1-2 cups bacon, smoked, thick cut, large dice
Salt, pepper to taste
2 tablespoons real butter, unsalted
Optional garnish - 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Method of Preparation:
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Preheat oven to 400 °F for convection setting, (425 °F conventional).
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In mixing bowl, add oil and cut raw Brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper.
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Place seasoned sprouts on baking sheet and bake in oven until done, about 20-40 minutes (soft yet still with good texture and crispy edges with some dark brown color). Remove from oven.
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Place large sauté pan on medium heat and render bacon. Add a splash of olive oil to get it going, if needed. Cook until bacon is crispy and golden brown, 5-10 minutes.
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Add onions to pan and cook until soft, 5-8 minutes.
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Turn heat to high and add garlic and butter and cook for 1 minute.
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Add roasted Brussels sprouts to pan and toss all together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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For optional garnishes, add fresh chopped parsley.
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Serve and enjoy!
Chef notes:
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If Brussels sprouts are large, cut in quarters.
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Rendering bacon means extracting the bacon fat which adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
Bon appetit! Chef Kyle Williams, Savor & Swirl
Heirloom Root Vegetable Hash
Yield: 6-10 servings
2 cups heirloom organic carrot, cubed
2 cups heirloom organic rutabaga, peeled, cubed
2 cups heirloom organic parsnip, cubed
1 cup heirloom organic turnip, cubed
2 cups heirloom organic marble potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons rosemary, fresh, de-stemmed, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, fresh, de-stemmed, chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt – to taste
Pepper – to taste
Optional Garnish
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Method of Preparation:
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Pre-heat oven to 400°F on convection setting (425°F conventional).
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In mixing bowl, add oil and raw cut vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Place seasoned vegetables on oiled baking sheet and bake in oven until they are caramelized and tender, about 30-60 minutes. Will be soft yet still with good texture and crispy edges with some lightly charred areas.
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Remove from oven once finished cooking.
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Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
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Enjoy.
Chef notes:
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Buy all organic heirloom vegetables if possible.
Bon appetit! Chef Kyle Williams, Savor & Swirl
About Savor & Swirl
As founders of the Kansas City-based company since 2019, these creative partners love working together to initiate a concept and execute a vision. Chef Kyle Williams has over 22 years of experience in the elite culinary industry, including 2 Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, resorts in Hawaii, and alongside prestigious NYC celebrity chefs Todd English, David Burke, and Daniel Boulud.
Savor & Swirl serves the Kansas City area for public and private events and has recently expanded to include nationwide mobile catering. Book online, and they will bring their expertise to you, including customizable, in-home dinner parties or luncheons for holidays, events, business gatherings and surprise pop-ups. Local options also include professional chef cooking classes, in-home weekly meal prep, and Savor-To-Go (casual, comfort foods delivered to your door, with optional wine pairings.)
“We love to gather with people who value breaking bread together around a table with the special people in their lives.”
savorandswirl.com
Instagram: @savorandswirl, #savorandswirl, #foodandwinepopupkc