The Art of La Soirée

Last month, I headed to Dallas to host the ultimate seasonal dinner party: the latest in Cointreau’s legendary The Art of La Soirée series that’s all about inspiring creative and unforgettable entertaining. It’s quite the coveted ticket, and guests were treated to a seasonal menu paired with thoughtfully-crafted cocktails in the sleek design district restaurant, OAK. Keep scrolling for the highlights, as well as a few tips for pulling off your own soirée this holiday season.

“The Art of La Soirée” is all about striking the perfect balance between food and friends, atmosphere and creativity, and pairing it all with finely crafted Cointreau cocktails.

The event was arranged as a progressive dinner with food and cocktail pairings themed to autumn, winter, and New Year’s so guests could get inspired by each of the holidays that are on the horizon.

We set up seasonal bar cart vignettes for guests to peruse with personalized cocktails displayed at each station.

I love to bring organic elements into the decor and tabletop design. Flowers, greenery, fruit, and berries feel lush and abundant during the holidays, especially when paired with colorful napkins, delicate glassware, and lots of candlelight.

During winter, instead of sticking with a traditional red-and-green color palette, I like to experiment with metallics and jewel tones.

Guests played mixologist at a make-your-own Rickey station set up at the bar. We set out Cointreau, club soda, ice, and a variety of fruit and herb ingredients for personalization.

Keep scrolling for the recipe below!

In your own take on a holiday gathering, focus on details that truly enhance guests’ experiences: beautiful seasonal food, unique cocktails, and one or two ‘wow’ decor elements like lush flowers or loads of flickering candlelight.

Those unexpected details will certainly make it a wonderful night. As long as there’s delicious food, amazing cocktails, and great music, it’s going to be a good soirée. Just remember if you’re having fun, then your guests will too!

Each guest took home a custom-made wreath, a Cointreau Rickey cocktail kit, and a miniature book of holiday drink recipes.

Cheers to kicking off the season with a tray full of cocktails!