Gina Bruno Hosts Tips

Hosting Philosophy

Dinner is never just dinner. It is so much about the people, and the food is just the excuse to get those people around the table.

“Dinner is never just dinner. It is so much about the people, and the food is just the excuse to get those people around the table.”

Gina Bruno's Background

Gina Bruno is a self-proclaimed chef, mom, and host with Italian roots and Sunday dinners as a child.

Hosting Ethos

Bruno wants to fill people up with food and conversation, and the best compliment is when guests leave early because she is exhausted.

“I want to fill people up. I want to fill their glasses up; I want to fill their plates up. And the best compliment that I could ever get is having to tell someone, ‘Hey man, it’s really time to go home because I am exhausted and I need to go to bed.’”

Menu Planning Tip

Plan the menu around one main dish with supporting elements for a balanced gathering.

“On a table, I will always have one kind of grand slam big, big dish, and then there’s all the supporting actors on the table.”

Preparation Strategy

Prep sauces and dressings the day before to save time and set the table with napkins and plates.

“Sauces and dressings you can absolutely do the day before, and that alleviates so much time the day of. You could go as far as literally setting your entire table the way you want it to be set with napkins, plates, silverware.”

Setting the Mood

Use lower lighting from lamps and candles to create a moody atmosphere that feels sexy.

“Lighting is a huge thing. For evening soirees, I kiss the big overhead light goodbye, opting instead for lower light from lamps and candles tucked into corners to make the space feel moody. The mood needs to be right, and you want to feel sexy when you walk into somebody’s home.”

Clean as You Go

Clean spills and dishes immediately to maintain a clean workspace.

“If something spills right then and there, you are wiping it right then and there. If you use the spoon and you’re done, it’s going in the dishwasher. Cleaning as you go is a big step.”

Encouraging Conversation

Use a plate-lifting game with a question to spark deep conversation.

“Right before I serve dessert, I have everyone lift up their plate, and there is a little note underneath. The note has a question on it, either handwritten or printed depending on how much time Bruno has, and every question is different.”

Be a Guest

After serving, step back and enjoy the gathering as a guest rather than a host.

“It’s so easy to stay in host mode and think that you have to do all of these things to please people. But as soon as people arrive, it’s almost like, your job is done, or at least as soon as you drop the food, your job is done. And now you get to sit back and enjoy what you’ve done and be a part of it.”

Never Apologize for Food

Don’t apologize for cooking new dishes; the experience matters more than the meal.

“You should never apologize for something that you’re cooking. If you are putting yourself out there and you want to cook something out of your realm, and, say it absolutely f*#%ing fails, that’s fine. I feel like your guests are going to be like, ‘Awesome. We will take a bite and not tell you our honest answer, and then we’re going to order a pizza, and it’s going to be amazing.’”

Pasta is Key

Nine out of 10 times, a pasta dish will be on the table for gatherings.

“Nine out of 10 times, if I am cooking for people, there is going to be a pasta dish on the table.”

Brami Pasta

Bruno uses Brami pasta as a staple, cooking it at least twice a week.

“We could consider Brami a staple. I mean, [my husband and I] cook it at least two times a week, whether there’s meat thrown in it or it’s just a sauce or a pesto or it's anything in between.”

Spicy Vodka

Bruno prefers a spicy vodka for sauce, swapping in mezcal for home cooking.

“If I’m making it at home, I’m actually leaving out the vodka and I’m swapping in mezcal, and it gives such a sneaky, smoky flavor that everyone will ask [about it]. And I will then go even further and usually pair it with a mezcal cocktail.”

Hosting Essentials

Bruno uses specific products for hosting, including olive oils, salt, and silver trays.