New research reveals that whilst six in ten Brits love to welcome friends and family into their home (62%), over three quarters experience hosting pressure (76%) – causing kitchen calamities to occur for half of us (50%).
Cracker brand Ritz, has delved into the highs and lows of hosting as part of its Host Right With Ritz campaign that celebrates the joy people get from welcoming guests into their homes, even when they’re woefully unprepared or suffering from hosting hiccups.
Faux pas Brits make when welcoming guests into their home include being ill-prepared for when they arrive (17%), not spending enough time talking to their guests (15%), burning the meal (15%), and spilling red wine (10%) – oops!
Although four in ten have braved a new dish on the night (41%), almost a third (30%) say it went badly – with just one in ten having had success trying out something new (11%). So, it’s no surprise that almost half of the nation (49%) make sure they include a tried and tested classic on the menu to balance out any mishaps.
A quarter of Brits say the best fail-safe dish is pasta based, with lasagna, spaghetti bolognese and other simple pasta recipes ranking high on the list. Conversely, almost one in ten of us avoid cooking altogether, opting for a simple cheese board to please guests.
To celebrate how Ritz can help when hosting from home, the cracker brand has teamed up with former Come Dine With Me contestant Kevin Riley aka Whisk Man showcase his second round of hosting hiccups, narrated by comedic TikTok icon Shabaz Says, known for his humorous content reviews.
Famed for that iconic moment where he put a whisk in his mouth on national TV, Kevin’s recent venture to the kitchen sees him take-on dinner party redemption, welcoming friends for dinner as Shabaz Says looks on, reacting to the kitchen antics.
In an adventurous move, Kevin presents a new menu consisting of a mushroom soup starter, roasted chicken with vegetables for the main, and a grand finale featuring a Ritz cracker cheese board a fail-safe dish guaranteed to keep all of his guests happy.
Whilst Kev and the rest of the UK love to welcome people into their homes, for some it is quite stress inducing – as one in ten (11%) find it more stressful than meeting a new partner’s parents, public speaking (10%), attending a job interview (8%) and even moving house (7%).
But, sometimes it’s the guests that add to the stress – with two thirds (64%) of Brits stating guests not arriving on time contributes to the pressure, leaving 92% uninspired to host again. Yet, with pressure comes pleasure – as two in five (41%) feel happy once they’ve hosted their loved ones and 10% feel energised.
Along with menu mishaps, Ritz also reveals that Brits hosting hygiene is below par. Almost one in five (17%) have taste tested their dishes by dunking their fingers in it and others admit to double dipping (16%). One in ten have pulled a hair out of a dish and not told anyone and have dropped ingredients on the floor and used them anyway (11%).
Elsewhere, Brits show that they’re conscious not to stray from a recipe, as almost one in five (18%) have dug packaging out of the bin to re-check cooking instructions, whilst cooking for their guests.
Kevin Riley, Host Right With Ritz contestant, said:
“I may have become synonymous with whisks, but my culinary skills have definitely improved since the nation saw me last. Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of leaning on all round crowd pleasers that are always ready to go, even if you’re not. After taking on Host Right With Ritz, I hope the nation can learn something from my attempt at hosting redemption.”
Ella Jonas, Junior Brand Manager – Ritz, at Mondelez International, said: “We created Host Right With Ritz as an initiative to show the nation that hosting your friends and family doesn’t require you to create an off-the-wall menu.
Incorporating a simple dinner party classic dish or two can help reduce the pressure of hosting, allowing you to focus on welcoming your guests and having a great time together rather than worrying how your soufflé is going to set or how perfect your pastry looks.
Sometimes hosting can go wrong, be that overcooking your meal or rushing to get your home ready as guests arrive, but relying on a dinner party classic as part of your menu will help you glide through even the most stressful of dinners.”
To watch the full video and gain valuable insights into hosting with finesse, visit Ritz’s official website or Instagram @ritzcrackers
The nation’s top hosting secrets
- Taking packaging out of the bin to re-check the cooking instructions – 18%
- Putting a finger in the food to try for flavour – 17%
- Double dipping a spoon in the food to try it for flavour – 16%
- Pulling a hair out of a dish and not telling anyone – 11%
- Dropping ingredients on the floor and using it as part of the recipe anyway – 10%
- Prepping food without washing my hands – 7%
- Using a dirty plate/utensil, and pretending it was clean – 4%
- Accidentally sneezing in my guests food and not saying anything – 4%
- Putting an entire whisk in my mouth to try the food – 3%
- Prefer not to say (… what are they hiding) – 1%
