Food for thought – Top tips for throwing a murder mystery dinner party
A murder mystery party is a fantastic way to bring together friends and family for an unforgettable night. Only one thing can make it better – serving up a delicious meal before the killer gets their just desserts! Combining the two parties, mystery and dinner, can seem like a huge undertaking, so check out our top tips to help you throw a killer party where the only drama is in the game…
1 – Pick your theme
The first step to throwing a delicious and delightful murder mystery dinner party is to select a theme. You can’t decide on a menu until you know what theme you will be suiting it to. Will it be a buffet fit for a ball with our Bridgerton themed game, a fatal festive feast with our royal Christmas mystery, or party rings and turkey dinosaurs with our 90s house party theme?
There are plenty of options to choose from so go with something you like to dress up as and alter the menu to suit you. Or go the other way and think of a dish you like to serve and match it to a decade or theme. Once you know which game you will play, it is time for step 2.
2 – Decide on a guest list
The number of people you want to invite will likely impact what kind of food you will serve. It can be tough to cook a feast for 20 complete with several courses and still keep up with and enjoy a murder mystery game. Think about who you would like to come, pick a theme and a game that fits that number, and then you can start thinking about the food you will serve them.
3 - Decide how you will set up the room
Are you going to do a full 3 or 5+ course sit down meal with an intimate group? A buffet for a larger group to nibble on throughout the night? Or something in between? Your theme will most likely give you an idea of which best suits that era but it really is up to you to throw the party your way.
How you will serve your food will alter how you lay out the room, for example whether you opt for a sit-down meal with one long table or a more casual affair. For our 10-20 player mingling mysteries you might favour a clear floor so people can get around and talk to each other, so the food should be easy to eat on the go.
4 – Plan your menu
Now that you know what game you will play, who is invited, and how you will serve your food in the party venue, it is time for the really fun part – planning the menu! How much your meal reflects the theme is up to you, you can go for fun and simple nibbles from the decade in question, for example.
Or you can have every dish fit the theme like ‘finger’ food for Halloween or a royal feast for our Christmas game. For you master chefs out there, you may want to take the theme as far as you like, for example with plenty of tasty spices for our 90s game Spice Up Your Death! Just make sure that whatever menu you go with, you can still enjoy the game and the evening how you want.
5 – Get stuck in!
On the night you can again choose how you want to host your party. You can have a carefully planned service where introductions are made over the apéritif and accusations pair nicely with a digestif with each round organised in between. Equally, you can serve dinner first then play or vice versa, or lay out the food to be eaten as you go along.
The important thing is to enjoy the cuisine and the crime solving, to have fun, and to end the night feeling that both your mind and your taste buds have been tantalised. So put together a party and a menu that you enjoy and wish to share with your friends and family, settle in, and get ready to tuck in to a delicious meal and a juicy mystery…
