Every year when the leaves fall from the trees and the weather turns crisp, I haul my fondue pot out from the back of my kitchen cabinet, purchase a borderline obscene amount of Alpine cheese, and prepare to host one of my favorite gatherings of the year: a fondue party.
Fondue parties are comforting and convivial, the perfect way to embrace the it’s-dark-by-5 p.m. season with soft lighting, cozy vibes, and a bubbling communal pot of cheese at the center of it all. The Swiss have been dipping bread in molten dairy for centuries, and the fondue entertaining craze of the 1960s and 1970s has, at least in the US, given the dish a bit of a retro reputation.
It may seem a bit intimidating to pull off, but the truth is that a fondue-focused gathering is a host’s dream. Hear me out: You can prep almost everything in advance. All of that swirling and dipping action at the table is more interactive than a typical seated dinner, encouraging easy conversation, even amongst strangers. And each guest gets to choose their own adventure, taking the guesswork out of accommodating various food preferences and appetites.
While the actual cooking involved for fondue night is minimal, getting a proper setup and the right accessories is key to creating the vintage ski lodge vibe your fondue party deserves. After delving into a few midcentury entertaining manuals, I’ve found the best hosting and decor tips to pull one off. Cue up the disco playlist and get ready for your new cold-weather ritual with the guide below.
Fondue must-haves
Fondue Pot
This is the (literal) central component of the fondue experience, so it’s worth putting some thought into. Whether you go with an electric pot (something that plugs into the outlet) or a traditional, externally fueled option is a matter of personal preference. Consider where you plan to host your fondue party. If it’s somewhere with no easily accessible outlets, go for the traditional pot. The downside? The non-electric options require you to either purchase and stock an alternative fuel source (typically gel fuel) or keep the pot on the stovetop. If you plan to host more than six people, consider putting out multiple fondue pots.
Fondue forks
Most fondue pots (including our recommendations above) come with long, slender fondue forks, but it’s always a good idea to have extras on-hand for extra guests or double-dipping scenarios. To lend a bit of vintage flair to the table, you can always pop over to Etsy or Ebay to find charming, wood-handled, rainbow-hued fondue forks at affordable prices. The two-tined forks are generally best for spearing meat, while the three- and four-tined options are better for breads, vegetables, and desserts.
Plates
According to Gourmet International’s 1969 tome Fondue: The Fine Art of Fondue, Chinese Wok and Chafing Dish Cooking, sectioned-off fondue plates are ideal to “please the young hostess with a flair.” Translation: All the cool fondue parties have fondue plates, which sort of resemble kids’ plates with different sections to keep foods and sauces separated.
While fondue manuals like 1968’s Fondue Cook-In suggest serving smoked ham or sausage alongside the fondue, I personally prefer a zippy green salad to balance all the richness.
Platters
The majority of prep work for a fondue party involves assembling various items for dipping: cubed bread, sliced vegetables, boiled baby potatoes, cut fruit, etc. A platter to transport all of these ingredients is essential. Pro tip: If you’re prepping fruits for chocolate fondue dipping (strawberries, melon, pineapple, peaches, orange sections, etc.) dry them on a paper towel before placing on your platter to ensure that the chocolate will adhere.
Setting the table
Napkins
Textile trends in the late ’60s and early ’70s were dominated by earth tones—with a particular emphasis on mustard yellow, avocado green, and burnt orange. Geometric patterns, florals, and paisley were popular as well.
Tablecloth
When you’re selecting a tablecloth for a fondue party, pick something that’s easy to clean; melty cheese generally results in an above-average amount of spills and splatters.
Glassware
With all of the back and forth table movement of dipping and reaching, short-stemmed or stemless glasses are the move to avoid tipped and/or broken wine glasses.
Lighting
Your goal: Cultivate a warm, vaguely Scandinavian ski-cabin vibe. The big light is most definitely not invited to this fondue party.