Designing a successful menu means more than just picking out delicious recipes. Ti Martin and Dick Brennan, Jr., devised a dinner for eight, considering choice of recipe ingredients, progression of the meal, and how to pull it off gracefully. They designed texture and flavor contrasts into all levels of the menu. This article describes how to pace the dinner of Grilled Mushroom Salad with Garlic Vinaigrette, Louisiana Crawfish Saute, Rice and Crawfish Boudin Cakes, Roasted Chicken with Honey Red-pepper Sauce, Creole Ratatouille, and White Chocolate Bread Pudding. The author offers tips on how to maximize your time so you can enjoy the party while putting together delicious food for your guests, avoiding congestion in the kitchen and delay at the dinner table.