Pop-up dinner on the beach

Ever since seeing this dinner party that Jordan hosted on a pier, I wanted to do something similar. So finally we invited some dear friends and had our dinner party at a close-by beach. While it takes a bit of effort to get all the things to the location, it was totally worth it! We enjoyed ourselves so much, had great laughs and ate with a perfect sun set.

Originally we were supposed to be six people, but at the last minute it turned into a party of four. This was to our advantage though, as we got to use our own smaller table and didn't have to rent a larger one. We rented some fold-up chairs, brought our own dishes, glasses, cutlery and linens and set up the full table right on the sand.

We did feel odd setting up a full dinner table in the midsts of beach dwellers, and we did get a few stares and questions - but once you get over the initial odd situation, we were fine.

Our menu:

• Gazpacho
• Cumin/Coriander/Garlic BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Quinoa Salad with lots of parsley
• Mache Salad with Mushrooms and Bacon
• Peach Trifle

If you want to do this, here a few pointers that might help you out:

• Have a back-up plan, either a covered spot or a dinner reservation at a close-by restaurant in case of rain.
• Find a spot where you can get your car pretty close. The beach we used is a bit removed from the parking area, so we had to drag all our stuff quite some distance. Even dishes for four get quite heavy.
• Bring a lantern or flashlight for when you pack things up at the end of the dinner. You don't want to trip and fall on the way out.
• Wrap your dishes, glasses and cutlery in plastic wrap like caterers do, it keeps them clean and they stay put in your car.
• Have a little prep station for your beverages and different courses.
• Bring votives and/or solar lights for when the sun sets.
• Prepare foods that you can eat cold or at room temperature.
• Bring nice, but not expensive dishes and glasses. You want it to feel fancy without worrying if a plate breaks.
• Rent chairs and/or tables and even linens - it's very inexpensive.
• Don't forget the little things, such as bottle openers, a lighter or music.

last two photos by Bruno Doyle