It’s winter. It’s cold. It’s rainy. You don’t feel like eating out but calling a few friends or family over for a hearty dinner at home. You had a long week and yes, you don’t feel like cooking up a storm or impressing your guests with your culinary skills.

If you have ever been in that situation, you don’t have to worry anymore because Private Chef Ryan John and his team offers their clients a night of great food, great wine and flowing conversation in the comfort of your dining room. On a cold, rainy Thursday evening, my guest Jess and I were invited along with other Perth foodies to revive a lost art which is the At Home Dinner Party at a WB display home in Swanbourne. The display home is just gorgeous and modern. It was such a perfect venue to hold the dinner party and I just couldn’t ask for more.

Before the night kicked off, we were offered canapes which were the scallops wrapped with bacon and salmon on potato fritters. To compliment the canapes, we were also offered a glass of Louis Perdrier Sparkling from David Whitby who is the wine consultant for the night. David liaises closely with Ryan to match the wines with his great food, to not just compliment the taste but enhance the overall dining experience. He believes that drinking wine is an experience by itself and that “life’s too short to drink bad wines.”

Scallops wrapped with bacon

Salmon on Potato Fritters

Not long after having some canapes and a glass of bubbly, we were taken to the dining area where a long table is set up with elegance and sophistication which means that we are about to start the dinner party! The best part was having the kitchen next to the dining area, which means that were able to see Chef Ryan in action doing what he loves.

For the Entree, we had the Tiger Prawn, Chorizo and Roasted Cherry Tomato Hot Pot, Saffron and Lemon Buerre Blanc. The matching wine is the Quarantadue Italian Pinot Grigio, a refreshing, light wine wine. This was a very heartwarming and flavoursome dish to start off with and it’s perfect for those cold, rainy days. Those colours on the dish will also brighten up your day too!

Tiger Prawn, Chorizo and Roasted Cherry Tomato Hot Pot, Saffron and Lemon Buerre Blanc

Chef Ryan in action

Next up, for our mains we had the Soft Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Fondant Potato, Grilled Asparagus and Shiraz Jus. To compliment this dish, we had a 2010 Barossa Valley Shiraz by David Franz. I really enjoyed this dish and thought that the rack of lamb was cooked perfectly to tender and juicy, complementing well with the flavourful soft herb crust on the outside and the Shiraz Jus.

Soft Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Fondant Potato, Grilled Asparagus, Shiraz Jus

To finish off, we had the Limoncello Pannacotta, Poached pear, Orange and Poppyseed Sponge and Lemon Curd Ice Cream for dessert with the German Gewurztraminer Auslese as the matching dessert wine. When a Panna Cotta dances, that means it’s spot on perfect, which is executed in Chef Ryan’s Limoncello Pannacotta. The elements for this dessert were texturally well balanced with plenty of fresh citrus-y flavours. It was a sweet and refreshing finish to the dinner party.

Limoncello Pannacotta, Poached pear, Orange and Poppyseed Sponge and Lemon Curd Ice Cream

I really enjoyed the whole idea of having an At Home Dinner Party, which is a great way to spend time with friends and family over good food and wine at the comfort of your own home. From the event, we indulged in food from the new menus that have been created for the wintry season and sipped on some beautiful wines while having conversations across the table.

If all this sounds excellent to you and if you would love to host your very own dinner party, I recommend you to make a booking at http://www.ryanjohn.com.au and reference me or my blog and Ryan will be in touch with you soon. In return, you will also receive a complimentary bottle of Premium Australian wine on the night. Prices for the Dinner Party starts from just $80 per person.

Do you love wine? Would you love to organise your own wine tasting experience for a group of family or friends or a corporate event? Head to wwww.whitbypremiumwines.com.au to complete the ‘Book a Tasting’ tab. Just mention me or my blog in the comments section and David will be in touch to make all of the arrangements. Plus, you will also receive a complimentary bottle of wine upon booking.

Last but not least, I would like to thank Ignite Communications for the invitation to attend the At Home Dinner Party. I would also like to thank David Whitby for the beautiful wine and for sharing with us his passion of wine and Chef Ryan and his team for cooking up a storm, serving up delicious food and for the excellent service. 🙂