How to Have a Blindfold Dinner Party

Blindfold dinner parties force guests to rely on their other senses to determine what they are eating.

There are several “blind” restaurants scattered throughout the world. Some seat diners in totally darkened rooms, others give each person a blindfold to wear during the meal, and a few also have cooks and waitstaffs comprised of blind or visually impaired persons. If you want to have a similar dining experience, host a blindfold dinner party at your home.

Preparation and Props

Set up your home as you would for a sightless visitor by clearing paths from the door to the dining area and from the dinner table to the bathroom. If possible, map out routes that are free of stairs and tape down the edges of rugs and carpets to prevent tripping. Blindfold guests when they arrive, using blindfolds that are lightweight, adjustable and comfortable enough to wear for a couple of hours. Some hosts are uncomfortable with making household adjustments and choose to have guests blindfolded only while eating, although this detracts from the drama of the experience.

Menu Selections

Since blind eating makes diners depend on their other senses to determine the food items, put together a creative menu with unique tastes and textures not easily determined by touch or smell. Fresh root vegetables are good for fooling people, as are foods with hard-to-identify textures such as caviar, hard-boiled eggs, okra and avocado. Experiment with unusual cooking techniques such as poaching and steaming instead of baking and frying. Choose foods you believe your guests will like and don’t sacrifice taste for the sake of amusement.

Service Options

To share the experience with your guests, have a professional waitperson without a blindfold serve the meal. You can prepare the food ahead of time and relax while eating instead of traipsing in and out of the kitchen all night and missing out on the fun at the table. Have the server keep the table clear of used dishes and utensils to help keep guests from knocking things over while eating.

Other Tips

A significant number of people are so uncomfortable with darkness they can’t stand to be blindfolded at all. This could ruin the event, so be open about the party theme when extending invitations or, if the theme is a secret, discreetly determine who might find the situation awkward and omit them from the list ahead of time with a kind explanation of your concern for their feelings. Use everyday dishes and glasses for the meal so no precious china or crystal is broken during the party.

References

• Jacqueline Harmon Butler: Blind Leading the Blind (Switzerland)
• Vanity Fair: Food for Thought, and Sight, at L’Occitane’s Blind Dinner