Often we wait for a special occasion to have people over. A holiday, a birthday, yada yada. But why not…just because? In Throw This Party!, we’re sharing easy-to-execute shindigs that give you a reason to get together any given Saturday (or hey, why not a Wednesday?). So go on and text the group chat. We’ll bring the wine.
Editor’s Note: If you are not caught up on Survivor season 50, minor spoilers ahead!
Survivor’s 50th season concludes on May 20 and I’m celebrating the only way I know how: gathering friends and shouting at the TV. When they first announced the players a year ago, my nostalgia for the show’s glory days flooded in. I thought of Parvati Shallow, and the Black Widow Brigade, the all-female alliance that flirted their way to victory. (Sorry to the wide-eyed victims.) And Christian Hubicki, who balanced on a narrow perch for five and a half hours, monologuing about exoskeletons and Reuben sandwiches, until he was the last one standing.
So, naturally, I’ve been hosting watch parties every week since the season began, but the two million dollar (courtesy of Mr. Beast himself) ultimate tribal deserves some extra attention. Here’s how I’m pulling it off, so you can host an equally iconic finale watch party, or hey, maybe even an early-season rewatch to fill the void after this season ends.
A tribal council tablescape
Gather all the candles in your house and litter them over your table because, as host Jeff Probst announces at every tribal council, “In this game, fire represents your life. When your fire’s gone, so are you.” Of course, tiki torches would be a stunning addition, but towering tapered candles are effective. Their flickering light will add an eerie glow to the night, especially if you cut the overhead lights.
The dress code: business casual castaway
Tell friends to wear what they would if they were competing on the island. Take inspiration from these iconic uniforms: Rupert Boneham’s rainbow tie-dye tank, Boston Rob’s Red Sox baseball cap, Phillip Sheppard’s fuchsia underwear (that’s one I wish I could unsee). Another critical accessory is a coconut in hand at all times. If you can’t find the fresh kind (Costco’s usually got them), my coworker Kate Kassin swears by Strange Water.
Plan the menu—that means rice
A classic Survivor conundrum: When you win chickens after a reward challenge, do you slaughter them for the meat, or keep them alive for the eggs? The dinner party’s tonight, so we don’t have any time to wait for a hatching. Make these Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Thighs with a tangy sambal oelek marinade, which can be doubled and put toward tofu (I did this for my vegetarian friends). If you don’t have a Weber, then a grill pan will ensure you get those flame-kissed hatch marks on the stove. No matter how you cook it, this chicken is even better than a rat.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova
The starch is a no brainer. If there’s one ingredient Survivor players have relied on since the beginning, it’s rice. On the show, you’d be cooking in a rusty cast-iron pot, but at home, we’re all in on a rice cooker. Use the rest of the can of coconut milk from the chicken (above) plus water. I like to throw some pieces of ginger in too (like in this recipe). Once it beeps at you, flip the rice upside down onto a large plate and let everyone compete for scoops.
Finally, desperate times call for desperate measures. Have you ever been so ravenous after completing a vertical underwater maze that you’ve looked at a puddle of mud filled with squirming insects, and thought it looked appetizing? Well, it can be—in a dirt cup. Make this fluffy Chocolate Mousse for a Party, then have your guests top it with crushed Oreos and gummy snakes and spiders. You can set a timer for 60 seconds and gobble as much down as you can, like some rewards in the Survivor Auction, or avoid the tummy ache. Your choice.
