Whether it’s a milestone celebration or a casual get-together, food stylist, cookbook author and mum Lucy Tweed knows how to host a memorable gathering. While great food is always a priority, she says the key to a successful occasion is in the details. From choosing the perfect party playlist to keeping the drinks fridge well-stocked, here are a few of her top hosting tips.

Set up a drinks station

First things first, give your guests a focal point (and something to sip on) as soon as they arrive.

“ I always like to set up a drinks station,” says Tweed. “I find it really important to give people a place to go.”

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She says it’s helpful to have a designated zone to direct them to for ice, bottle openers and other beverage essentials. While many guests like to BYO, she makes sure the fridge is stocked with crowd-pleasers like Cascade Origin, a premium Tasmanian lager that was formulated to be enjoyed with food. Made with mountain water from kunanyi/Mount Wellington in Hobart, as well as cool-climate Tasmanian hops and locally malted barley, the beer’s citrus aromas, light bitterness pair well with just about anything – and any occasion.

“I sometimes feel booze has gotten a bit too intense,” Tweed says. “So to have something fresh and delightful, which is so hoppy and clean and crisp, is really nice.”

Keep it simple

Though Tweed loves a show stopper for the right event, she prefers to keep her menus unfussy and snackable when hosting.

“Reducing cooking time and allowing the entertaining to flow at a snack level is really exciting,” she says. She builds her spread around market-fresh fruit and vegetables, with extras like hummus from her local Lebanese shop.

“Thanks to the incredible produce we have access to, you can do a bit of prep work the day before and leave your entertaining day for pure assembly.”

Instead of a standard cheese board, she suggests serving cicchetti – bite-sized Venetian snacks like salted cod toast, marinated fish and pickled vegetables. And when it comes to dessert, there’s no shame in store-bought: a Basque burnt cheesecake from a good bakery will do the trick.

Give guests something to do

Tweed loves the idea of inviting guests to participate in the kitchen, making the whole experience feel more communal.

“My other go-to when I am entertaining a lot of people is to write a very loose and almost gratuitous to-do list,” she says. “It’s nice to have a list of things rather than completely over-prepping.”

That way, if guests arrive before she’s finished setting up, they can pitch in – whether it’s slicing vegetables or garnishing a plate.

Borrow a restaurant’s tunes

“Music is an absolute, but it just needs to be in the background; it doesn’t need to be overpowering,” says Tweed.

With an 18-year-old, musically inclined son influencing her algorithm, she often has unexpected tunes filtering through her playlists. But for a more intentional vibe, she looks to her favourite hospitality venues.

“I quite like to look at restaurants I enjoy the vibe of and see if they’ve got a playlist,” she says. Some of the bigger ones – like Brisbane’s Any Day Hospitality (Agnes, Bianca, Same Same), and Music Room and Hope St Radio in Melbourne – will have public playlists or live streams online, allowing you to recreate the energy of the venue at home.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Cascade Origin, the premium lager from Australia’s oldest brewery. Find it at Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and First Choice Liquor Market, plus select pubs, bars and restaurants.