Credits
Photography: John Gruen
Video: Sean McLaughlin
Music: Ben Gruen
Styling: Dominique Baynes at the home of Vicky Charles + Joe Frydl

DB: You trained in set design for film and theater. How does that background show up when you're styling something as unguarded as a Sunday dinner?

NIQUE: Strangely I think styling something like a dinner is very much like a film set in that there's so much going on, there are so many people, there is a time limit, and no matter how much you plan for something, there are all these unknowns. They are both very much about community, about different people doing different things. I think that is still my favorite part of working on a set or a photo shoot, and it's the same for a dinner. Everything comes together at the last minute. Everything is a kind of flash of energy or immediate decisions, but ultimately it’s all about community, the crew and creation. The great thing here is that I got to enjoy an amazing dinner at the end!

DB: You and Vicky have been such close friends, growing your careers together in New York. What's it like working together after all these years?

NIQUE: One of the best things about working with Vicky is that she just doesn't ever get stressed out, no matter how much is going on and how many unknowns there are. She just rolls with the punches, is always solutions focused and never ever loses her sense of humor.

I think for some people being friends and also working together can be tricky, but for Vicky and me it's just a gift because we can always see the fun, the problem solving, the creative ideas and the funny side of things. I have so much respect and awe for what she does, and yet she also trusts me for what I do. I think because of that we work really well together and it's always so seamless from work to friendship.

DB: Where did your love of styling and flowers come from?

NIQUE: I think my creativity came from my mom. She is a talented potter and amazing seamstress. Growing up, everything was either made or found or altered. Really inspiring. She always had the most eclectic style and taste, especially at a time when it wasn't particularly fashionable to have this type of esoteric approach. She would find furniture from yard sales and estate sales and we would go to liquidation auctions and come back with the most amazing things. She taught me that creativity, design, art, the making of things, comes from your mind and your eye and not always from your wallet.

DB: Talk about the flowers for this dinner. You pulled from your garden, my garden, Jenny's dahlias, and we even cut some from the side of the road. Why go wild and gathered instead of calling a florist?

NIQUE: It's always far more beautiful and earthy to use flowers that are collected and foraged from the garden. You can pick and choose and it feels so natural and authentic. This is especially the case with something like a community dinner. They become part of the fabric of the dinner party, as much as the food, the people, the setting. Everyone brings flowers from their garden and it really plays into the community spirit that is present in a dinner like this. Vicky's own style and her amazing outdoor kitchen and your beautiful dishes just suit this kind of wild mix of flowers and foliage.

DB: Everything was so beautiful, like A Midsummer Night’s Dream. How did you put it all together?

NIQUE: Firstly I think that Joe's cooking is sublime. He is a master chef and everything he cooks is absolutely delicious. He really does focus on local and in-season ingredients and makes it look very easy to pull off a dinner for either 6 or 60 and doesn’t flap at all. Vicky and Joe's house setting is absolutely stunning: the light on the hill, the way that they've set up the landscaping, just the whole vibe of their home. That helps to make it a really serene space and magical evening. Not to mention how beautiful your work is. I just added to that to enhance it, but it was very easy to style this. Sometimes less is more, small curated details rather than grand brushstrokes. Also getting to work with such a great photographer whose eye just kind of pulls it all together is a real pleasure. Plus the guests just all managed to show up in amazingly eclectic outfits because they are a truly eclectic group and everyone was curious, interested and interesting. That is another one of Vicky and Joe’s gifts, bringing like-minded people together from all walks of life. The teens helped set the table, John brought some stunning peaches from his garden and everyone just kind of came together in a beautiful and tranquil setting.

DB: How would you describe the style of table setting you and Vicky share?

NIQUE: We both like a very relaxed table. It should feel easy. Everything doesn't have to match: water glasses, flatware, dishes. It should all feel comfortable, approachable and easy.

We definitely both like to use non-traditional materials. Vicky sourced hessian from the garden and outdoor supplier. We also sometimes use canvas paint drop cloths because of their great natural linen color. It doesn't have to be expensive. Quite often using more practical materials just adds that sense of reality and comfort that we love. We used mismatched glasses and different vessels, from jam jars to your beautiful vases, all designed to make it less formal, more comfortable. That's probably because we are both relaxed and informal.

DB: The table ended up as a mix of the Nonna plates, vintage pieces you and Vicky have collected, and then Vicky's everyday white plates once more people showed up. How do you make something like that feel pulled together instead of thrown together?

NIQUE: I think the key is to not overthink it. Just go with the flow. Whatever dishes fit the food, being okay with things not being perfect and allowing that to be the focus and the design. Because Vicky and Joe entertain so much and are so casual and so relaxed, it's just no stress to grab another plate or use a different glass or cup. It just becomes part of the relaxed nature of the evening rather than something that's too overthought.

DB: What's the first thing you reach for to make a table feel special?

NIQUE: Always flora, even in the middle of winter. Even if it's just a little branch with berries on it or an interesting piece of bark or leaf on the table, just something from nature will always make a table feel special. That and some candles, even if it is just a tea light in a glass.

DB: For someone who wants their own table to feel a little wild and collected like this one, what's one piece of advice you'd give them?

NIQUE: I would say to not stress about it, to not overthink, and to not try and arrange flowers or dishes very carefully. Even one flower in a glass can look amazing. Also don't be afraid to mismatch plates, glasses, napkins, bowls, platters, anything. I think what was lovely was just being able to mix in some of your really special pieces, like your Nonna plates and your amazing serving bowls, with some of Vicky's white plates and serving bowls. The beauty is in the imperfection.

DB: What's your favorite part of styling a night like this?

NIQUE: I would say my favorite part of the night would be having a rough vision, then pulling together the tablescape and gathering and arranging the wildflowers. It really is my happy place to find wildflowers and to be able to style in such a season, it’s such a joy. And doing this with such great hosts. Joe cooking in the kitchen, Vicky making me laugh while I pick flowers, it just feels like the perfect environment to create and provide a happy place for me to work and also enjoy myself.

DB: Where did your love of cooking come from?

JOE: When I was a child, my mother left for a vacation, which meant we had to eat our father's cooking. Let's just say I learned to cook very quickly after that experience. We had 4 channels on TV, one of which was PBS. I got into Julia Child, The Frugal Gourmet, and Yan Can Cook when I got tired of Little Rascals reruns.

DB: Have you trained at all, any cooking school stints, or are your skills self taught?

JOE: All self taught, but I read a lot of cookbooks and experiment.

DB: How do you flow so easily from cooking for, say, 8 (as we had originally planned) to over 20? You didn't break a sweat.

JOE: Planning, planning. Don't try to impress. Execute what you know you can do.

DB: How do you put together a menu? Do you experiment with new or unusual dishes with your family before you break them out for a dinner party?

JOE: I definitely make sure I have made something before I make it for a large number of people. To be honest, even if I haven't, I make sure it's very simple technique-wise, something I know I can execute, because the larger number of people raises the stakes and costs of any errors.

DB: Talk about the menu you created for this dinner.

JOE: I have been playing with Korean food for just over a year now thanks to a great cookbook. I love eating that food. The flavors are super strong but also very straightforward. I planned around wanting to have some vibrant colors, because that always grabs people (and shows off the plateware!), and a bit of wanting to cook in the wood oven. But mostly this meal centered on make-ahead dishes that are happy and taste great at room temperature. If I have any tricks for dinner party hosts, it's that: pick lots of dishes that you can make ahead and are designed to be served at room temp.

DB: The outdoor kitchen is really special. After building such a fantastic space, did it change the way you cook and host?

JOE: Cooking more with fire forces you to be patient and adaptable. It's a much less controlled environment than a range top and an oven. It's what makes it interesting, but you definitely have to have patience to let fires get mellow and to the right point to cook with. Patience to let food take its time on a (usually) low fire.

DB: You and Joe open your home often, with dinners that grow from 8 to 20 without anyone blinking. How did your place become the social hub for everyone?

VICKY: Joe and I both want our home to feel welcoming, and a sense of community is really important to both of us. We are really lucky to live where we do, surrounded by great friends and neighbors. Joe loves to cook, so there is always enough food. Sometimes we run out of chairs, but our friends are used to the chaos. It makes it more fun!

DB: What's it like being on the receiving end of Joe's cooking week after week? Do you ever get a say in the menu?

VICKY: Nope, always chef's choice. It's pretty wonderful, and if I say sometimes I just want some toast and not 6 dishes, then I sound pretty spoiled, so I will shut up.

DB: With the guest list growing so much in the days before, was there ever a moment of "oh no," or does that just not happen at your house?

VICKY: I only get scared if we start to get close to 50, as then we can't cope if it rains, because our house can't seat everyone. Otherwise, no. It's super fun, and I stopped worrying about who might not get on with who. We love to just see what happens.

DB: What's your favorite part of making a dinner like this?

JOE: Bar none, it's seeing friends enjoy themselves.

DB: What's your favorite part of a night like this one?

VICKY: Listening to the laughter and watching all ages get on, from 12 to 80, including dogs.