All The Cool Food Trends To Know For Summer Entertaining
The last couple of years has seen an explosion of food stylist geniuses take centre stage at parties – and on Instagram. The likes of Laila Gohar (Gohar World), Imogen Kwok and Paris Starn are setting the agenda for architectural, sensual tablescapes and food presentation, with many of their ideas spilling out into IRL dinner parties.
While red ribbons and architectural butter were big news over the festive season, there’s no way dairy pearls and sculptures are going to work in the summer heat. Instead, try taking inspiration from this year’s Serpentine summer party, where – among all the A-list outfits – the star of the show was a dazzling display of jellies, moulded into tomatoes, pears and cherries, created in collaboration with artist Sienna Murdoch and Skye Gyngell’s Spring, whose team brought Sienna’s food-based art to life on a heaving table. But before you start frantically Googling ‘next-day delivery jelly moulds’ ahead of this weekend’s festivities, consider some advice from Sauveur Studios’ Matthew Shaw, who says solo-serve jellies can be just as impressive. He tells us to “go back in time for some classic summer party treats like elderflower and champagne jelly served in glass coupes”.
It’s in this stripping back of trends that joy can be found when hosting. Just ask Hernán De Majo, founder and head chef at Cocina Studio. “When we host a dinner or drinks gathering, we’re really creating a moment – not just for eating and drinking, but for connection. The table becomes a space for storytelling, for self-expression, for making people feel genuinely welcomed and special. I think that’s where the summer feeling starts: in the atmosphere you create, in the sense of joy, ease and care you share with your guests.” Essentially, remember that hosting should be fun, so don’t overdo your presentation if that’s not something you’d naturally feel inclined to do. “For us, summer entertaining is not about relying on clichés or obvious seasonal themes,” Hernán continues. “It’s more about harmony and presence; choosing ingredients, objects and gestures that reflect the moment. People come to your table because they’re curious about you, your world and your perspective. I think it’s essential to bring your personality to the experience, to ask yourself why you’re inviting people, what you want to share with them and what story you want to tell.”
With that in mind, we asked five caterers, florists, chefs and event planners for their tips on incorporating some of the biggest artistic – and attainable – visual food and drink trends to your own gatherings this summer…
USING FRUIT & VEGETABLES AS DECORATION
“When using food as part of a tablescape or centrepiece, the ingredients should ideally have a real connection to what’s being served; they should either appear in the dishes or complement them in some way. For example, if you're poaching pears as part of the dessert, you might also use fresh pears as part of the table decoration. That relationship makes everything feel intentional rather than random. It’s even more powerful when the ingredients on the table can actually be eaten by the guests – it creates a sense of playfulness, and it grounds the decoration in the experience of the meal. The food becomes part of the narrative.
“It’s also important that the edible elements relate to the space as well as the season. Let’s say it’s summer, it’s hot and the meal involves a lot of sharing dishes – you want the installation to create impact without getting in the way. The decoration should support the energy around the table, not interrupt it. It should spark conversation, surprise people and bring warmth, the way flowers or candles might, but with a more unexpected, sensory twist. And of course, seasonal produce always helps. When you use fruits and vegetables that are truly in season, they reflect the moment: the sun, the moisture in the air, the feel of the environment. They don’t feel foreign or forced. They feel like they belong, and they bring a sense of joy and natural rhythm to the table. That’s what elevates it from decoration to something more poetic: something that’s generous, rooted in time and place.” – Hernán De Majo, co-founder & head chef at Cocina Studio
“Using fruit, vegetables and herbs can be a great way to dress dining tables, bars and canapé trays. My suggestion to ensure this looks intentional and thought through is to stick to one or two types only – and ensure you have enough! A few tomatoes strewn down a table will look strange so make sure you have ample ingredients so you can pile them up and group them together, so the presentation looks bountiful. Another tip is to stick to food items that are in season and work with your colour palette, so they enhance the table instead of making it look like a vegetable stall. Finally, if you are entertaining in hotter weather then consider what food you are using to decorate. You don’t want food spoiling on the table or attracting flies, so I’d opt for citrus fruits or pots of herbs here.” – Matthew Shaw, founder of Sauveur Studios
“As a florist, I like to lean into texture, scent and colour in unexpected ways. I love incorporating herbs like flowering mint, dill or basil into arrangements – they bring a fresh, garden-picked feel and scent the air beautifully. Treat the produce like you would flowers: consider the shape, colour harmony and proportion. And avoid overloading – leave space for the eye to rest. The key is intentionality. Choose one or two produce items with strong shapes or colours and repeat them through the table.” – Christie Leigh Chung, florist at Christie Leigh Floral
“Don’t just place whole tomatoes on the table – cut them up, use different shapes and colours, and play with levels to make it interesting. Incorporate the tomatoes into the actual dishes as well, so they’re part of the meal, not just the décor. Give them purpose: stick taper candles in larger ones, use smaller ones to hold down napkins or menus, or write guest names on them with a thin sharpie to create place cards.” – Dulcie Loveland, brand events manager at Cater London
PILING PLATTERS HIGH
“Summer is all about abundance, so think about making the food look plentiful. I always use slightly smaller plates and platters so that I can pile salads and slaws onto them and give them lots of height. Using smaller platters means you can fit more on the table too which makes summer-ready sharing food easier. Using ice is a simple but great way to elevate fruit. Cherries and apricots are particularly lovely as they are in season and won’t catch a frost from the cold. Find your largest plate or bowl, upturn a bag of ice and deck it with fruit.” – Alexandra Dudley, chef, cookbook author & SheerLuxe columnist
“From a visual and floral perspective, I like dishes that feel generous and abundant – salads piled high with edible flowers like borage or violas, platters of stacked grilled peach and burrata or a beautiful herby potato salad scattered with chive blossoms.” – Christie
“For summer hosting, I’m all about relaxed, seasonal food that looks great in the middle of the table and brings people together. A sandwich buffet is a great idea – it’s easy to prepare ahead and fun for guests. Two of my favourite combos right now are sweet roasted peaches, grilled halloumi, crushed almonds and loads of fresh herbs like mint and basil all tucked into soft mini brioche buns. They’re light, summery and veggie friendly. Then I love to pile up crunchy baguette slices topped with confit garlic aioli, roasted friggitelli peppers and parma ham, which are rich, salty and super moreish. Pile everything onto big boards or platters with bowls of olives or pickles and let everyone help themselves.” – Keren Sternberg, head baker at Don’t Tell Dad
KEEPING FOOD SIMPLE
“When you’re entertaining in the summer, the best dishes are those that don’t demand too much attention. A leafy salad will wilt quickly in this heat, which means you’ll need to toss it seconds before you all sit down, but a crunchy slaw or something made with more robust veg (think green beans, tenderstem broccoli, sugar snap peas) will hold up against the heat a lot longer. I always like to blanch and keep any veg in the fridge for a couple of hours before people come over, so it’s really chilled.” – Alexandra
“We work mainly with seasonal ingredients; not just because they taste better or are more affordable, but because they allow you to create abundance. Summer produce is so vibrant: red berries, stone fruits, watery greens, herbs in full bloom. When you use what’s truly in season, you can fill your table with colour, texture and generosity. That alone shifts the energy and takes you somewhere else.
“In my experience, people tend to gravitate towards light, refreshing dishes at this time of year; things that are chilled, colourful and full of layered flavours. Salads are always a hit, especially when they bring together contrasts: the acidity of lemon, the bitterness of walnuts, the sweetness of fresh fruits, the sharpness of raw onion, maybe even a touch of heat. Those unexpected combinations wake up the palate and feel alive. Fruit is a big one: the body craves it in the heat, so it’s both nourishing and satisfying. Cold soups are also great: they’re not something we typically eat year-round, so serving a chilled soup in summer feels special, almost like a novelty. It offers guests a different kind of sensory experience. Summer is really the season for herbs: mint, basil, parsley. I tend to use fewer spices and more fresh leaves. And fruits can go far – not just in desserts, but in salads, soups and drinks. It’s the season of fruit, so why not celebrate it in every way?” – Hernán
STAYING COOL
“I saw the stylist Harriet Stewart make an ice bowl on her Instagram and thought it was a great hack. She used two bowls and suspended flowers and herbs within water in the first one then used the second smaller bowl to weigh it down and create a bowl shape. The result was stunning. You could use it to serve ice-cream or even cocktails.” – Alexandra
“You can have some fun including some surprise touches that also acknowledge the hot weather. A round of ice-cold limoncello shots or sgroppino after dessert always goes down a treat and if you’re serving coffee after dinner, you can offer your guests an affogato instead.” – Matthew
“Think fresh. For example, all your dishes could incorporate lemon. Then get creative with your desserts. Swap the traditional Eton mess for a make-your-own ice cream station, served in fun silver coupes with sprinkles and toppings. Or go retro with banana splits and squirty cream.” – Dulcie
“I love incorporating drinks as part of the food story. For example, clericó, an Argentine classic, is a fruit salad soaked in white wine or sparkling wine. It’s celebratory, refreshing and effortless. Or I like to serve French ‘piscine rosé’, which is just a rosé with a few ice cubes; simple but transporting. One playful idea is serving a lemon lollies in a glass of vodka, which gives the feel of a summer caipirinha. It’s fun, interactive and cooling. I also love using stainless steel because it immediately takes you somewhere unexpected, away from the usual materials we associate with the table. It feels clean, hygienic and brings a refreshing coldness. Stainless steel originally comes from labs and industrial kitchens, so it also introduces a slightly utilitarian, almost futuristic feel. One of my favourite things is using stainless steel martini glasses to serve desserts. Everything looks bold and a little mysterious when served in them – and they help to keep things cold.” – Hernán
TOWERING DRINKS
“Drinks towers are much easier to pull off than people imagine and you don’t need a professional. The key is not to treat it as an afterthought. It should be considered one of the main elements of your event or menu. The first step is to ask yourself: ‘What kind of drink do I want my guests to experience?’ Start with the flavour: what do you want them to taste and enjoy? Then think about the vessel: what kind of glass will elevate that drink and make it feel right for the setting? That combination – flavour and form – is half the work done as you're thinking both about the sensory pleasure and the aesthetic impact. Once you’ve chosen your drink and the ideal glass for it, consider the visual language of the event. What kind of glassware fits with the rest of the table or the space? You want everything to feel cohesive. Then it’s about scale; a tower needs repetition. Make sure the glasses you choose are available in enough quantity to actually build the structure and make it feel abundant. A drink tower shouldn't feel like just another feature of the party. It should be a highlight.” – Hernán
“Drinks towers can be a great centrepiece but need to be thought through. They are time consuming to set up so if you’re not working with a caterer or bar supplier you will want to enlist the help of a trusted friend so you aren’t fretting over the drinks tower when you should be doing last-minute hosting preparations. You need to ensure you have enough of the same glasses which are flat and uniform to create your tower. This is not the time for statement glassware. Simple and sturdy is what you want here, the tower itself will be enough of a showstopper. Think about using a drink that doesn’t mind sitting for some time, like a non-shaken cocktail or punch, and keep your drinks tower inside or in the shade. Your guests will not enjoy a hot cocktail on a summer’s day. Finally, as fun as it is, I suggest avoiding pouring champagne down your drinks tower. It looks great until everyone picks up a glass and has sticky fingers for the rest of the party…” – Matthew
Inspiration credit: @NICOLALAMB
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.
/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Fwebsite-images%2F2025%2F03%2Fsign-up-pop-up.jpg?itok=TZtXX_xL)
