An Evening of Caviar, Candles & Couture

25 women, one unforgettable night, and the party formula that everyone said yes to. Here's everything you need to host your next elegant Girls Night In.

Jun 04, 2025

Whenever I eat caviar, I think of that accusatory statement Meg Ryan makes to Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail, “You're taking all the caviar. That caviar is a garnish!”

I hosted a soirée on Saturday where there was so much caviar I am still opening new jars of caviar from the freezer and enjoying it with leftover blinis 4 days later. Sorry Meg, it wasn’t a garnish at my party, it was the main event.

Before I jump into the glamorous girls night I hosted on Saturday, I want to thank all my readers for the reads, the support and enthusiasm for Chic of Chic, as well as welcome all the new subscribers! I was invited by Substack to a Best Sellers event they hosted last Wednesday, as I made it on the list thanks to all of you! We all have endless and available content we can read each day, so I appreciate you putting your trust in me to deliver interesting and valuable reading material to you. Nothing brings me greater joy.

I value the art of elegant hosting and gathering with people I love. This last one was pulled together quickly and turned out so lovely and special. What started out as a casual text with close girlfriends to get together before summer travels, turned into a full fledged Chic of Chic soirée.

Below is everything you need to create a chicken tenders and caviar party for twenty-five fabulous people, with a little Parisian flair, a little Mr. Chow energy, and a lot of champagne.

The Menu

The food was luxurious in concept, casual in execution.

Dirty Martini Deviled Eggs. In spite of the name, there was no alcohol in these, I added olive brine and capers to my yolk mixture for a salty and olive forward taste. Scroll down for this incredibly simple recipe!
Caviar station with blinis, crème fraîche, chives and onions. I overcooked the eggs I planned to chop for this station, so in order to avoid the strong odor in the dining room I opted not to keep this condiment out. Hey…I’m human too!
Chicken tenders and vegan nuggets piled high on silver-tiered platters, most of them topped with caviar and some left plain. Where did I get the chicken tenders? Chic-fil-A of course! You can order from their catering menu and they provide trays of various quantities. The vegan nuggets were Impossible Plant Based Spicy Vegan Nuggets.
La Scala chopped salad…the historic restaurant with the most iconic chopped salad in LA that is truly the best. I had a few vegetarian and vegan guests, so I kept the salami and mozzarella on the side. If you don’t live in LA and want to recreate this iconic salad, keep reading for my at home recipe below.
Thin-crust pizza, crisped to perfection and presented on a silver tray decorated with embroidered floral doilies.
French fries piled high on their tray. To give the french fries a regal look, I elegantly wrapped a satin red cloth on a vintage Turkish gold tray and piled the fries on.
And for dessert? A pink champagne cake with cherries on top from Susie Cakes (sent by my thoughtful and generous sister). I placed this next to a gorgeous fruit bowl with grapes, orange slices, figs and berries.

The joy was in the unexpected. Guests spooned caviar onto tenders, pizza crusts, and even eggs. It was a choose your own decadence moment.

The Drinks

Pro Tip: If you can, get a bar tender, especially one with a personality. A good bar tender is an investment in the vibe.

My drinks menu was thoughtfully curated as I wanted it to go with the food and the elegant ambience. We served:

Dirty Martinis with Blue Cheese Olives

Negronis

Champagne (lots of it) A Pro Tip: we started the evening with a server greeting each guest with a gorgeous glass of bubbly at the door, silver tray, white gloves and all. It immediately says, “You’ve arrived” and it set the tone for glamour without pretense. It’s an easy way to elevate your guest experience for a dinner party at home.

Chablis

Cabernet

Mocktails that were a huge hit even with the drinkers…..one guest told me the bar tender made the best mocktails she’s ever had!

The Table

I love a beautiful table, especially one with lots of candles and roses. It’s romantic, French, and slightly theatrical. The tablescape was inspired by my favorite restaurant in Paris, Lapérouse, with a side nod to Mr. Chow for the large white roses in bud vases. Below are the key elements I used on the table, with links at the end of this article:

Damask Red tablecloth as the base
Crystal and brass candelabras with tall taper candles
Bud vases with long-stem roses cut short—mostly white, some red
Pink opalescent plates with gold rims (yes, they’re disposable from Amazon because who wants to do dishes after midnight)
All serveware in gold or silver. Although I used mostly vintage items or heirloom pieces from my mother, I’ve linked a few great items if you want something that looks beautiful but is attainable and disposable.
Silver caviar dish with ice surrounded by accompaniments

It was lush, dramatic and romantic, with the lights kept dim so the sparkle from the empire chandelier was just right around the room. As I’ve mentioned in several of my previous articles, lighting is everything and you never want it to be too bright. I love a European inspired table scape and feel that red often helps to increase the drama and old world charm that I frequently lean into. Versailles via L.A.

Dress Code

The dress code was “Statement Style,” and everyone understood the assignment. From formal gowns to denim with sculptural accessories, every look felt editorial. I wore vintage ‘80s couture that kind of had a “Dynasty” vibe.

The playlist blended 70s and ’90s….the night ending with my girlfriends and I belting Alanis Morissette like it was 1996 and we just left Tower Records.

At the end of the day, it’s not about the food, it’s about the energy. And nothing is more luxurious than making people feel welcomed, delighted, and just a little bit fabulous.

Guests making sachets at the Arts and Crafts Table

A Little DIY

It felt like the right kind of evening to have a fun and easy craft, so I set up an arts-and-crafts table outside where guests made their own lavender or rose sachets. I wrote about this DIY recently on Chic of Chic and it worked beautifully as a takeaway that smelled better than a party favor ever should.