Last year's Oscars was all about golden opulence and red accents, but this weekend the Governors Ball is looking East for inspiration. You can too, when you create the look for an Oscars viewing party. Start by running a red-carpet-like runner down the middle of your table. Serve the popcorn in a big white bowl and let guests help themselves by filling movie popcorn bags. Place the gourmet hot Read more

At the Governors Ball, the majority of the stars will be sipping sparkling wine, so stock up on more affordable bottles of Cava or Prosecco. Place wine buckets around the room and fill with ice and bottles. Arrange champagne flutes or saucers nearby. Besides sparkling wine, three specialty cocktails will be poured at the Oscars afterparty. Select one to serve your friends. I like the Golden Rush, Read more

Pastry chef extraordinaire Sherry Yard is famous for creating the desserts served at the Governors Ball. Every year she offers the stars chocolate Oscars and buttery shortbread cookies. For my Oscar viewing, I'll take a tip from Yard and serve a bite-sized dessert. Decadent chocolate fudge with (or without) walnuts is rich and delicious. Instead of slicing the fudge into neat squares, use an Read more

Every February I invite an intimate group of friends over to watch the Academy Awards. In 2007 I cooked a menu that featured Wolfgang Puck's recipes. In 2008, I made a smorgasbord of elegant, award-winning appetizers. This year I've decided to serve a buffet of classic movie foods. However, I'll give the concession-stand snacks the star treatment. Instead of offering guests boring old popcorn, Read more