A Yorkshire chef has shared his tips for relaxed entertaining at a special event in Boroughbridge.
Chef Andrew Dickens joined floral designer Rachel of Petals & Paperie at The Hosting Edit, held at independent kitchen design studio The Kitchen Room on Thursday 8th October.
The evening brought together food, flowers and interiors, with demonstrations showing how preparing ahead can give hosts more time to enjoy themselves with guests.
Andrew prepared a Spanish-inspired menu, explaining how several dishes could be made in advance.
These included patatas bravas sauce that can be frozen weeks beforehand and pomegranate and harissa shredded lamb that can be slow-cooked the day before and reheated.
Desserts included mini lemon drizzle cakes using batter prepared the previous day, alongside caramelised rum pineapple that had been marinating overnight.
Rachel also demonstrated how flowers and a few carefully chosen details can help create a welcoming table without elaborate styling.
The event was hosted by husband-and-wife team Samantha Arsoska and Hristiyan Arsoski, who opened The Kitchen Room’s Boroughbridge studio in October 2025.
Samantha Arsoska, co-founder of The Kitchen Room, said:
“I think we've all felt that pressure to make everything perfect when we're having people over. But the best evenings are rarely about how elaborate the food is or whether the table looks exactly like something you've seen on Pinterest.
“We wanted to show that with a little planning and a few thoughtful details, you can create something really special without spending the entire evening in the kitchen.
“For us, that's what a beautiful kitchen is really about. It's not just the cabinetry or the finishes, it's having a space where people naturally come together, where conversations happen and memories are made.
“It was also lovely to bring together other brilliant Yorkshire independents and share what we all love doing. We'd love to make more of these gatherings happen in the future.”
The Kitchen Room provides kitchen design and installation services for homeowners across Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Knaresborough and the surrounding areas.
