How we host: with Our Place founder, Shiza Shahid

Hosting is an art form. Whether you are a laidback throw-it-together-at-the-last-minute host, or a detailed planner, there is an innate human need to please people, and a hidden craft in setting an enjoyable dinner party. But what makes the perfect dinner party? This is where Wallpaper* steps in, presenting our new entertaining series diving into the art of hosting from the perspectives of leading figures in the design, architecture, and entertaining world. While hosting is undeniably a gift, it doesn’t harm having a few handy pointers along the way, whether you are an aspiring host, or being hosted.

How we host: Shiza Shahid

To inaugurate the series, we spoke to Shiza Shahid, founder of the globally loved Our Place, a homeware brand of culturally inclusive pans, and cooking accessories, (the Wonder Oven is a Wallpaper* favourite). After emigrating to America, Shahid reflected upon childhood memories in Pakistan, where her family would cook a variety of meals in one or two staple pans, which inspired the products she makes today. Items which celebrate globally diverse culinary traditions and multicultural kitchens.

With cookware, bakeware, kitchenware, and a cookbook, Shahid knows a thing or two about cooking for multiple people, and feels it is necessary to balance playfulness with practicality when whipping up meals in the kitchen. From perfecting the perfect crispy salmon, to exploring foods outside of your culture, we speak with the founder in her LA home to find out more about her hosting style, one which is more casual than you may think.

Wallpaper*: Are you a relaxed host and pull it all together at the last minute, or is there careful planning?

Shiza Shahid: I'm definitely a planner. I try to be really present for the event, and I find that the planning helps with that. I do believe in hosting being something that is really a gift that you give to your guests. I come from a big culture of hospitality, it is one of the main values within Pakistani culture - actually of a lot of cultures! I always want to put in that effort, but once guests arrive, I want to put them at ease and spend time with them and focus on connecting.

W*: It sounds like a welcoming environment. Obviously given, you own a cookware brand, are you a natural cook?

SS: Well… I can cook, but that does not mean that I don't also get help when it's a big group. I also love to experience different flavours. I live in Los Angeles, so I can cook a range of things that I'm familiar with, but I would love to work with a Thai chef, or an Iranian chef, and bring in other flavours from cultures outside of my own. It is like having a guest chef series in your own house.

W*: What was the first dish you perfected to feed a group of friends or family?

SS: I would probably say a crispy salmon. I love it when I can get a really high-quality piece of fish, get it started on the stove, and then pop it in the oven. I do the same with a bunch of different veggies, put them in the Wonder Oven to air fry. Then I can go and sit with my guests versus needing to be in the kitchen the whole time.

W*: And drinks on arrival? What’s on offer?

SS: So when guests walk in, I love to have a board or two on the table, like crudites, fruit, cheese, dips. I live a five-minute walk from our local farmers market, so I'm typically going to there once, if not twice, a week.. Then for drinks, I offer all kinds of waters, because people are very specific! Then, of course, if people want a glass of wine or a cocktail, I can happily accommodate. I don’t really drink myself, so I always have an abundance of kombucha or mocktails on offer. I also try to serve farm-to-table food, so I also replicate that in my drinks. This could be getting fresh grapefruit from the market, or whatever citrus is in season, and mixing that with a nice tonic water. It is lovely and fresh.

W*: Go on and tempt us – what’s your go-to menu, from starters to afters, whether homemade or bought in?

SS: At the dinner table I love to have a variety of salads and roasted veggies like crispy brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes with the salmon I mentioned earlier. For dessert, fresh fruit is a light option, alongside a cardamom and almond cake. This would be my fresh and flavourful, but simple dinner, that I feel good putting together by myself. If it's a special occasion, like Diwali, that is when I'll work with a chef. Another tip I would love to share is being able to source ingredients in. For example, if a place makes a great pasta sauce that I can't possibly replicate, I will try and find it and then do the rest at home. This can vary from a really good bread to a dessert.

W*: What’s on your dinner party playlist?

SS: My dinner party playlists are varied, and kind of range with music from different places I have lived and travelled. Expect Lana Del Rey, REM, John Lennon, Edith Piaf, Fateh Ali Khan, who's an old Pakistani Qawwali singer, Simon and Garfunkel… it is a mixtape across cultures and decades.

W* Who’s your dream dinner party guest?

SS: Oh, my goodness definitely Michelle Obama. She is someone who I think has a lot of wisdom, but also seems to have a great time. She is funny and has a great rhythm, the kind of person who would drop incredible nuggets of wisdom that I would remember forever, while also being fun.

W*: Dish the dirt: what should a host never do?

SS: A host should never make people feel like they're inconveniencing them. Hosting, does require effort, right? You’ve got to get your house ready, cook the food, invite folks over, and to me, that effort is really a gift. My biggest hosting fear is probably not having enough food, so I always make too much. Inviting people into your home is a different kind of intimacy than dining at a restaurant. I'm not saying you have to cook every single dish on the menu, but hosting is the art of making something with your hands, something that matters to you. It can simply be a beautiful cup of chai. It is ultimately about the deeper intimacy that comes from sharing a meal in your home.

W*: What should a guest never do?

SS: I would say, don't be late and don't stay too late. I think it's also nice to bring a gift or something that reflects the host, and take the time to understand the person. Finally, make the effort to bring good energy to the dinner party. Get to know your fellow guests, and bring openness and positivity.

W*: What’s the secret to a successful evening?

SS: I am always up for a good dinner party prompt as a way to get the conversation started. I think the secret to a good dinner party is the conversation. Curate your guest list thoughtfully and make sure that people will get along and be interested in each other.

W*: Thank you, I really hope that you end up hosting and serving salmon to Michelle Obama one day.