They prepared several delicious dishes for the evening, but these Eggplant Cakes in a Tomato Pesto Sauce were my favourite. You can serve this recipe as an appetizer, the first course for a dinner party or even at lunchtime with a green salad. Think of this as a savoury cake. Once the eggplant is cooked, simply combine with the rest of the ingredients and bake. The dish can be served with the pesto sauce (below), a tomato sauce or combine the two for a rich flavour experience.

This Cauliflower Soup recipe enhances the flavour of what can be a bland vegetable with coconut milk and fresh ginger for a slightly Asian touch. It’s the perfect soup to make ahead for a dinner party or to have for lunch on a cold spring day.

This is a lovely velvety soup garnished with sautéed scallops and crispy bacon lardons. Perfect as a starter for a winter dinner party, or a warming lunch with plenty of crusty French bread. If you can’t get scallops or don’t like them, replace with gently sautéed sliced mushrooms.

This recipe for Zucchini, Basil Velouté is suitable for even the most novice of cooks. As there are only a few ingredients, small, sweet zucchini and fresh basil are key. I like to serve this soup chilled with a dollop of creme fraiche and snipped basil on top.You could add croutons or diced zucchini instead. Not counting calories? Add a cup of half and half to the chilled soup before serving. The bright green color and luscious texture make this a lovely starter for a dinner party or a family meal.

This is a lovely light seafood starter for a summer dinner party, the colour combination (prawns, mango and avocado) looks very pretty on a white plate and most of it can be prepared ahead of time. You will need individual metal rings to create the stacked presentation.

Ragoût of Fennel and Langoustine with Saffron for a dinner party? This savoury “stew” is served on little boxes of puff pastry. Inspired by Provence, David decided on a pink-theme for their dinner starting with a potted salmon appetizer and this served this impressive seafood main course.

Garlic and Rosemary infused tender leg of lamb cooked to perfect pink served with bright blanch vegetables. A must for your next dinner party or gathering.

A quick and delicious appetizer bread that’s easy to make and even easier to eat! A savoury delight with salted olives, rich smoky duck breast and creamy bites of Gruyère. A must for your next dinner party.

In France, you don’t just set a table for a meal. You create a “stage” for food and conversation, and it’s called l’Art de la Table. It’s no secret that France is a leader in fashion design (names such as Christian Dior, Coco Channel, Pierre Cardin, and Yves Saint Laurent), …

Jane Satow is an American who has lived in France for 20 years. She has built a sterling reputation as a private chef (TV personality Stephen Colbert is a client) and runs cooking classes for small groups. These classes are held in a charming old building in the center of …