Sharing a meal is always a special occasion. But while the idea of clinking glasses and laughing late into the night is appealing, the planning and preparation part can be stressful. To help you pull off a fun-filled feast flawlessly, we’ll explore some of the innovative functions and smart technology that your Siemens Home appliances have to offer.

And to know more about the individual programs and functions of your hob or oven, you can find them in your personal My Siemens account. It has all your appliance info in one place.

Pick a date that works best for all of your guests. Choose a group of friends that get along well and have at least some things in common.

You can send handwritten invitations (if you’re feeling fancy), although emails or phone calls would also do and are more sustainable – just keep it simple. Don’t forget to ask them to RSVP, so you can plan the amount of food and drinks you’ll need.

Avoid the stress by planning your menu and shopping in advance. Prepare one or more dishes the day before such as dips, cold desserts and certain types of salad.

When planning your menu, remember that cooking in the oven requires less attention than using the hob. Try baked casseroles or oven-roasted meats and vegetables. To make sure the tableware you want to use are pristine, do a quick eco-wash the night before .

A great way to make your guests feel special (and lighten your load) is to assign duties for the night. These can include welcoming other guests, controlling the music, pouring drinks, assisting you in the kitchen, taking photos or bringing their favourite game along.

The greatest challenge for every chef is finding the optimal cooking temperature for each dish. If you have a bluetooth enabled Siemens hob, you might want to consider getting a cookingSensor Plus device. This smart heat sensor attaches to your cookware and communicates with your hob, adjusting the setting to regulate the cooking temperature and prevent overboiling. And to help you get the right sizzle on your sauté, we integrated the fryingSensor Plus into our latest range of Siemens induction hobs to prevent your pans from getting scorched .

For a starter, try a mixed veggie platter with hummus. Just blend chickpeas, sesame oil, lemon, cumin, and garlic. For a quick main course, go for pasta with seafood. Cook your seafood with the pre-set fish program while you boil your pasta to al dente. For dessert, try a fresh fruit platter.

Don't be cooking when your guests arrive. Think generously about how much time you’ll need to cook everything and then add an hour. If something goes wrong you want to have some buffer time to fix it.

Now, it’s time to finalize decorations, set out snacks, and prepare the drinks. Dim the lights and start the music.

Ease your workload by setting a drink station – where guests can serve themselves when they arrive. Include alcoholic and non-alcoholic options plus mixers, ice and utensils. Don’t forget to have a water jar.

Wait for all guests to arrive and give them time to feel at home. Then start serving the aperitifs. Reserve certain small jobs for early birds. Now all you need to do is enjoy! Remember – a memorable gathering isn’t about the food or the decor. Your dinner party is an opportunity to be with the people you love!