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One of the best parts of summer is undeniably the outdoor dining.
Especially so here in the Southern Hemisphere, where summer coincides with the festive season, giving us plenty of excuses to get together for a long lunch in the sun or Christmas in the backyard.
It’s something The Design Files art director Annie Portelli has been looking forward to since she started renovating her Melbourne family home almost four years ago.
Now with the lush landscaping finally complete, the latest addition to Annie’s outdoor area is a custom-built outdoor kitchen bench, featuring the Ooni Koda 2 Pro gas powered outdoor pizza oven.
It’s the next generation evolution of Ooni’s original best-selling ovens, equipped with a plug and play connection that fits a standard gas bottle, making it easy and quick to cook up a delicious meal outdoors.
Below, Annie shares her top tips for hosting this summer, from how to prepare a low-fuss meal, to tips for styling the table.
Embrace share plates and simplicity
When it comes to the food, a simple and shareable menu is the way to go for relaxed summer entertaining. Salads and side dishes can be prepared in advance to take some of the pressure off cooking everything when your guests arrive.
One of the easiest ways to feed a crowd is with homemade pizzas! Make your dough in advance (or, you can buy it ready made), and slice up all your toppings before guests arrive so everything is ready to go. It’s a relaxed way to entertain a large group, while still offering some variety to keep everyone happy!
Get out of the kitchen
There’s nothing worse than being stuck inside slaving over the stove while everyone else is out enjoying the sunshine! I love how Ooni’s Koda 2 Pro outdoor pizza oven lets you cook outside amongst the action with your loved ones around, making it great for summer entertaining.
It’s super easy to set up, even for a weeknight meal. It heats up and is ready to cook in 20 minutes, and it only takes a minute to cook a restaurant-quality pizza. Very little hassle for a very quick and delicious outcome!
Ditch the tablecloth
I’m a big believer that hosting should be casual, and part of that is minimising the mess to clean later. Lose the tablecloth for less fuss (and less washing) and lean into colourful and unique tableware to add some flair to your table. Curating an inviting and relaxed vibe starts with you as the host, and your tablescaping should reflect that too.
Go for stemless glassware
Similarly, forget the fancy stemmed wineglasses and invest in some nice tumblers or stemless glassware instead. Something with a fluted detail like the Ichendorf Milano Venezia Ottico Tumblers from Florian Home are great; they go with everything and feel elevated without looking stuffy.
Take cues from the Mediterranean
Europe does outdoor entertaining so well, and you can channel a little of their effortless styling by choosing hand-glazed ceramics in deep colours. The Barro Oval Dish from HAY is crafted in Portugal from terracotta clay, in honour of old-school craftsmanship, while Softedge Studio’s Rolled Rim range is perfectly robust yet playful. Don’t be afraid to mix and match, and serve your pizzas up on the Ooni Bamboo Pizza Peel and Serving Board for that finishing touch!
Ooni has everything you need for outdoor dining this summer. See more here.
