Jennifer Fisher’s Playbook for Hosting a Chic Thanksgiving
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Photo courtesy of Quentin Bacon
Wardrobe stylist turned jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher may be best known for her gold hoops, but in 2017, she found an unexpected third act—in the kitchen. That year, she launched her now-cult-favorite line of seasoning salts, a move that expanded her reach into the food space.
“It all started when I posted my avocado toast on Instagram,” Fisher recalls. “People kept asking, ‘What’s that seasoning on top?’ And I was like, oh—it’s just this salt mix I made. I have Hashimoto’s, and my endocrinologist wanted me to eat breakfast with protein, but I couldn’t find anything to put on my eggs that wasn’t a barbecue rub or, like, potpourri. I also didn’t want garlic or onion. So that’s how Universal Salt was born—it was my first one.”
Now, Fisher is deepening her culinary footprint with her debut cookbook, Trust Your Gut, and a new platform, Maedyn, where she shares her approach to cooking, inspired by her Santa Barbara upbringing and her anti-inflammatory lifestyle. “Honestly, I was just sick of answering DMs,” she says with a laugh. “And people thought it was weird that I was posting recipes on my jewelry website, so now I finally have a place for it.”
Ahead, we chat with Fisher about her go-to Thanksgiving menu, her entertaining tips for the holiday she loves most, and her tried-and-true formula for holiday dressing.
In your cookbook you say Thanksgiving is your Super Bowl—what are you planning this year?
I don't really do a ton of dinner parties throughout the year, but I love Thanksgiving—it's my favorite holiday. I'm hosting 32 people this year, but I do a very casual Thanksgiving. It's not formal at all. I make my turkey breast that's in the cookbook instead of doing a full turkey. It's so easy, and that's all anyone wants. I baste it in this butter that I buy in France, with a bunch of fresh herbs. And then I also do turkey tacos for the kids. I serve it with guacamole and my pico de gallo that's in the cookbook—it’s also kind of Santa Barbara–ish, because I grew up there and it's always about tacos.
I don’t hire anyone, I prep all the food myself, and my mom comes in a day early from California to help me. It's just really cute, and it's special. It's my most enjoyable time of year because I feel like it's my way of giving back to my family.
What’s your Thanksgiving hosting outfit?
I've collected denim for years. I have a pretty significant vintage denim and designer denim collection. So for me, it's always a pair of jeans. I wear jeans pretty much 90 percent of my days, whether it's like Chloe, Valentino, vintage Gucci, Levi's...I have them all. So I’m wearing jeans and a cute top. Sweaters are hard when you're entertaining, because you get hot in the kitchen, so it's normally some sort of a top that doesn't have long sleeves.
Are you a shoes-on or shoes-off household?
If they want to keep their shoes on, I let them, but we also offer slippers when they walk in if people want to take their shoes off and not wear their socks in the house—because it's New York City. At one point, I actually invested in that thing that you put your foot in that puts the cover wrap around your shoe, like you're going on a construction site. But then I realized that people just want to take their shoes off when they come in. But it's not mandatory, because I hate that feeling. I went to a dinner party not that long ago, and I didn't find out until the last minute that it was shoes off at the front door. And I was like, F**k, I have the cutest dress, but like, I need my high heels in it, and I didn't have time to change my outfit. So there always are a few people that are like that, and that's fine, but I do have white carpet...
Any games or go-to questions to spark conversation, or do you go around the table sharing what you’re grateful for?
I freaking hate games. I'm like, no, no, no. This is not school, and at a party, the last thing I want is to be put on the spot. But one year, I did this beautiful tree at the front door that I got in the flower district, and on my circular table in the entry, I left really nice note cards and lit a candle, and when everyone walked in, they could write what they were grateful for and hang it on the tree. I thought it was really cute, and what was nice is that as the night goes on, as people are kind of wandering through our loft, they would stop and pause for a second with their cocktail and read what's on the tree. And you didn't write your name on it, you just wrote what you were grateful for. Maybe I'll do it again this year.
What's your go-to playlist?
Do you set a formal table?
It doesn't feel too formal. But this year I actually did decide to do place cards. I normally don't, but there's a lot of family dynamics, so I want to make sure everyone is very comfortable in their seating.
I collect napkins. I'm very specific about cloth napkins. I buy them in Paris—all over—and I designed a collection for CB2 where I made napkin rings and napkins. This year I'm going to do a combination of olive-green napkins with a really nice burnt orange, and I also have these clear plates that I've had for years that I always use because they match everything. I do my own flower arrangements, too. I like to go to the flower district and get a bunch of long green branches. I'll pull in some color with orange flowers and some white sometimes. But I keep it really clean and simple—with hardy stuff that won’t be dead the next morning.
THE THANKSGIVING MENU
Fisher shares a few of her go-to Thanksgiving recipes, excerpted from her new cookbook, Trust your Gut.
Bright Fennel Salad
"This one makes me feel like I’m eating at a restaurant. It’s more formal than my normal salads, which makes it great for dinner parties. I love fresh, crunchy salads with some citrus. The fennel pairs really nicely with Cara Cara oranges, but substitute whatever citrus you have on hand. Grapefruit makes the perfect alternative."
Boneless Roasted Turkey Breast
"This is a family favorite I make year-round. After having this, you may never buy deli turkey for sandwiches again. It is also perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving gathering, or if you are too scared to eff with a whole bird. The last couple of years, I have opted to make a few of these instead of a whole bird for our Thanksgiving dinners. Removing the stress of cooking a whole bird makes the day much easier to manage."
Spiced Roasted Carrots over a Sweet Potato Mash
“This is a side that eats like a main, so it’s perfect to serve to your vegan or vegetarian friends at dinner parties. It also makes the best holiday or easy dinner side. The simple gremolata makes it feel much more formal and impressive for guests.”
Grain- and Dairy-Free Stuffing
“Stuffing is hands-down my favorite Thanksgiving side. Has been my entire life, and now I can eat it freely with all my holiday favorites—minus the grains and dairy. There is nothing better than having all the leftover sides the next day for lunch. I’ll even eat this cold; it’s that good.”