Take a seat at these chefs’ tables to take home solid inspiration (and insider secrets ) on how to do up your own stunner As the season of all things festive and family-friendly descends upon us, who better to steer you through the minefield of entertaining than some of the best chefs and decor aces out there? From

French inspiration packed with an ubiquitous je ne sais quoi, to easy-peasy ways of dining al fresco – we’ve got you covered by acting as catalysts between the food and design biggies. Be it an afternoon tea for friends or a full-blown feast for a legion of relatives, no excuse can stop you from putting out a table meant to go Insta-viral.

CHEF KASISHMA SAKHRANI X NICOBAR

The excuse: I don’t know if my home decor is festive enough.

The solution: “Inviting people home is special and it’s important to have your personality and warmth shine through when doing so,” says Arya Nerker who heads home design for Nicobar Design Studio.

“You don’t need to bring out your best gilded china – just bring out special ones which have stories attached to them. I like to play with the roughness of jute juxtaposed with silk. Don’t fuss with the details – just make sure everything is clean and nothing is cracked.”

Pro tip: “Use natural plants and flowers (especially banana leaves) which are easy to source and have this tropical lightness to them. I like to pair different materials, and this year I’d love to have silver and brass elements paired with stylized plates. Crisply iron your table linen – you will be surprised at what a difference that can make.”