A researcher's dinner party.

08 June 2011

By Sandrine Berges

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Every once in a while we are called upon to entertain our colleagues in our home with food. Whether or not we are friends with them. There's the visiting scholar who doesn't know anybody, the new colleague who hasn't settled in, the old supervisor who happens to be in town. And then we need to have a proper dinner party. That is we need to prepare decent food, enough of it, and spend the evening sitting around a table trying not to talk about work while at the same time, not letting too much of your family life show (you don't necessarily want them to have to sit through a bedtime temper tantrum from your youngest).

My husband and I usually try to smooth over any possible problem by making sure we have plenty of nice food and wine. A child is misbehaving? Never mind, have another slice of cake! We also usually get outside help – invite another member of the academic community we are comfortable around, so we are safe in the knowledge that if we need to go off and deal with a burning dish or a crying child, our friend will keep the guest entertained.

How do you deal with these situations? Do you have any tips you can share?