Nigella Lawson is ditching extravagant dinner parties for more relaxed mealtimes with friends.
You might have assumed that the celebrity chef and food writer, who is known for the polished, decadant style of her TV cooking shows, regularly hosts glamorous dinner parties for her friends and family.
But in a new interview, Lawson, 63, has explained that this is now a rare occurrence, and that she prefers to serve Twiglets to her friends instead.
“I’ll have a person or a couple of people over quite often and I keep planning to have people round in a proper, grown-up way but I haven’t yet,” the food writer told The Times, explaining she has got “out of the habit” of hosting dinner parties.
Lawson revealed that she prefers a more relaxed environment and would happily encourage her friends to arrive at her home wearing their pyjamas.
“I’m very happy for a friend to come over in their pyjamas to have supper.”
“I recently served Twiglets as a starter,” she told the publication. “There were some Americans there and I felt it my duty to introduce them.”
She added that the idea of clearing plates, knives and forks before the main course is “so unrelaxing” and can make things feel “choreographed”.
Nigella is opting for more laid back dinnertimes with friends— (PA)
“I like to do a big plate of food, taking it out and seeing everyone eat. I like abundance and I feel that’s easier to do with one course,” she said.
When she does host friends, Lawson prefers a more laid-back buffet-style dinner. At her open-plan home in Chelsea, she has two tables, one for the people to be seated at, and one for the food.
“I think narrow tables are better for conversation, so we sit at one and I put the dinner on the other so people can help themselves.”
It comes as Lawson responded to a viral “girl dinner” trend that is sweeping the internet.
On Saturday, The New York Times detailed the new TikTok phenomenon in an article with the headline: “Is It a Meal? A Snack? No, It’s ‘Girl Dinner’”.
According to the publication, the phrase was coined a few months ago by TikTok user Olivia Maher, who posted a video in which she spoke about the virtues of a medieval-style dinner.
“I can’t find the TikTok right now but a girl just came on here and said in the Medieval times, peasants had to eat nothing but bread and cheese and how awful that was,” she says in the clip, which has since been watched more then one million times.
“And she was like, ‘That’s my ideal meal,’” Maher added before showing her dinner to the camera, revealing a selection of bread, cheese, grapes and pickles.
The article has prompted a mixed response on social media, with some accusing it of promoting disordered eating while others claim the diet is nothing new and mimics those adopted by mediterranean cultures.
Lawson responded to the article by tweeting: “And we call them Picky Bits.”
