Hosting a Business Luncheon

March 31, 2025

Business gatherings are always more enjoyable when accompanied by a delicious meal.

Last week following a busy morning at my farm, I hosted a luncheon for a group of nine guests. Chef Molly Wenk, who has worked with me on many television and video food productions, and I, collaborated on a wonderful menu that included endive and radicchio salad with blood orange and a citrus vinaigrette dressing, poached asparagus with Hollandaise sauce, broiled salmon with a honey mustard glaze served with shallot confit, deviled eggs, and for dessert - a variety of homemade cookies to eat right away or take home. Many of the recipes are from my 100th book New York Times Best Seller, MARTHA, THE COOKBOOK: Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen.

Enjoy these photos.

: Oftentimes when I host small, casual business luncheons at my farm it is done buffet style, meaning my guests serve themselves from a variety of dishes set out in my servery.

: And then we all gather and eat at my long kitchen counter decorated with plants or seasonal flowers.

: This lunch was so refreshing. I served this wonderful endive and radicchio salad with slices of blood oranges and drizzled with a citrus vinaigrette. Both endive and radicchio are part of the chicory family. Endive has a mild, slightly bitter flavor, while radicchio tastes more bold and peppery – they are great together.

: Molly dresses the salad right before guests begin serving themselves so it retains its best texture and flavor.

: Asparagus is available year-round, but from now through May, it’s in peak season. These are poached asparagus stalks. Hollandaise is offered as a sauce when plating.

: I also served these delicious deviled eggs. The recipe for mine is in my 100th book, MARTHA, THE COOKBOOK. I hope you have a copy.

: Deviled eggs can be served with a variety of toppings, such as sprigs of dill, tarragon, or chives and sprinkled with paprika. And use small to medium sized eggs, which are the perfect mouthful.

: I love serving salmon with a glaze of honey-mustard. The recipe is also in my book. I broil the salmon – it only takes about seven to nine minutes depending on the size of the fillets.

: This salmon was served with shallot confit, which is shallots submerged in olive oil and then slow-cooked until soft and translucent.

: At most of my luncheons, I serve this pomegranate juice made with pomegranate concentrate, lemon, and slices of fresh citrus. I love the pomegranate juice from our friends at POM Wonderful.

: Everyone’s plate was full, maybe even more than once.

: Thanks, Molly. Everything was so delicious.

: Two cookies from my book that are always devoured are my daughter Alexis’s Chocolate Chip Cookes and my Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies. Both cookie recipes are also in my book.

: Brown butter enhances the texture and flavor of these cookies. Topping them with sanding sugar gives them a nice finish.

: My daughter Alexis developed these cookies years ago, and they continue to be a huge favorite at parties – big, crispy, and filled with chips. My guests ate them after lunch and then brought some for the ride home too.