Responsible Hosting

Clear communication before the event is vital!
Use the 'Small Talk' space to chat with your guest about all those important details that will improve their experience. You can message privately, publicly or just to the people attending your event. Give your guests as much information as you can to make sure they find your event on the day, and check and double check dietary requirements as well as likes and dislikes. Remember, you're rated on contact, not just on your cooking!

Share the hosting with a friend or family member.
This is particularly important when you're building your business and getting used to serving food to paying guests. Having someone on hand to chat to your guests while you manage the finishing touches in the kitchen is really useful and having somebody at the table while you're busy in the kitchen can really help get the conversation flowing too. You can always team up with another WeFiFo host and take it in turns to be in the kitchen or front of house!

Manage expectations!
If you’re a WeFiFo Novice, keep the menu simple. As you build your guest base and your reputation you can get more daring but most people are drawn to WeFiFo for the good honest home cooked food so try to do what you do best.

Price your meal responsibly.
Don't overcharge – if you offer good value you will get better ratings and reviews and you'll find this helps you to build your profile so that it's easier to sell seats at your table in the future.

Booze rules.
If guests bring their own alcohol try to establish how they would like it to be shared. Is all the alcohol to be shared amongst everyone or would they like just to drink the alcohol they've brought with them?

Establish if your guests have made arrangements to get home without driving. If there are designated drivers then make sure you know who they are.

Too much alcohol can spoil an event for everyone so try to keep in control of topping up glasses if you can.

Serve jugs of tap water on the table.

If you have billed your dinner as 'bring your own' then there is no obligation to serve soft drinks other than water but a thoughtful glass of something refreshing and non-alcoholic can really improve the experience for the non-drinkers.

Be courteous at all times.
Your guests will remember their manners if you remember yours.

Parties in the park.
If you're using a public space, check with the local council that you're not infringing any local rules. Councils tend to be really helpful but many have different regulations depending on the number of people expected at a gathering.

Health and safety.
If you want to build a career as a WeFiFo home cook, then register with your local authority and apply for your Food Rating Certificate. Ask lots of questions, follow their advice and build a good relationship with them. They are not there to spoil your fun, they're there to help keep you and your guests safe. They also have a wealth of information at their fingertips that can help you as you set about building your business.

Read, understand and implement our WeFiFo safety checklist!

Take our e-learning course and get your Level 2 Food Preparation Certificate.

The blogosphere.
Finally, please share your tips and tricks with us! WeFiFo really values the experience of its hosts and would love to share your knowledge with other aspiring cooks through our blog. If you would like to contribute, please email hello@wefifo.com with 'To blog or not to blog' in the subject line. And remember, we're here to help!