'The food becomes the entertainment – you just set the stage and let the night unfold' – designer Bryan Graybill on his charcuterie formula

This feature is part of our exclusive series, A Designer’s Guide to Entertaining, with interior designer and seasoned host Bryan Graybill. Each month, Bryan will offer expert advice, holiday hosting tips, and effortless ways to create a more inviting home – beginning with the spaces where everyday life and memorable gatherings naturally unfold.

Last month, Designer Bryan Graybill shared his approach to kitchens as functional theaters, and how his separate 'cutting room' provides a space to be messy and relaxed behind the scenes while he's hosting. This month, we talked to him about his 'charcuterie formula' and how to host a grazing moment that feels generous, chic and inviting.

Bryan believes that the best parties don’t revolve around courses, they revolve around conversation. And for him, nothing creates that atmosphere better than charcuterie. 'I love that it’s a self-directed activity,' he says. 'Guests can graze at their own pace, linger, and talk without the formality of plated service. It’s abundant but never heavy-handed.'

More than a cheese plate, Graybill sees charcuterie as its own style of entertaining, something that is as much a part of the evening as the setting or the playlist. At Bryan's East Hampton Home, The Dowager Inn, Graybill recently staged a spread that paired charcuterie with devilled eggs and baked cheese straws. 'Guests were in heaven,' he recalls. Another one of his favorite moves? Rolling butcher paper out across a kitchen island, then piling it with cheeses, nuts, dried fruit, and cured meats. 'Fill the sink with ice and bottles of wine, lay out glasses on a tea towel, and let guests serve themselves. It’s relaxed, self-directed, and you get to enjoy the conversation.'

His approach to this style of entertaining has changed and loosened over time: 'Early on, I over-edited – two cheeses, one ham, very controlled. Now I’m more generous, but still disciplined. It’s about creating the illusion of excess without actual waste.'

Here, we’ve collected a few of his best practices for transforming a charcuterie moment from an appetizer into an invitation. 'It’s about generosity and ease,' he says. 'The food becomes the entertainment. You don’t fuss, you don’t plate – you just set the stage and let the night unfold.'

It is all in the edit

Like any good designer, Graybill insists that the key to an elegant spread is restraint. 'Too many people pile on everything they can find at the deli counter. You need discipline – edit like you would a room. Use a restrained palette, contrasts in texture, and create breathing room.' That means leaving space on the board, arranging items in rhythm – soft next to hard, salty against sweet – and avoiding the dreaded sense of clutter. 'It should feel generous but never chaotic.'

Set the whole scene

What you put on your charcuterie board is almost as important as where you put it, according to Graybill. 'I treat it like scenography,' he says. 'Lighting low, a generous table, and the board placed where people naturally circulate – usually the kitchen island or a central table. It should feel like a discovery, not a centerpiece.' He avoids putting it on the dining table as if it were a plated meal. Instead, he wants guests to stumble upon it, drawn in casually, as if the food had simply appeared.

Be a discerning shopper

Graybill's formula is straightforward: one salty cured meat, one assertive cheese, one creamy cheese, dried fruit, and something acidic like cornichons. Almonds are always welcome – but not the oily Spanish kind. 'And please, no supermarket salami roses,' he laughs. 'Anything too sugary or overly staged feels false.'

Atmosphere is everything

Even modest ingredients can be elevated with the right staging. 'Candlelight makes even supermarket Cheddar feel luxurious,' Graybill says. Surfaces matter, too – wood, marble, or earthenware boards, never plastic trays. Background music sets the tempo of the evening: conversational but spirited. 'Nina Simone works wonders,' he notes, 'or Sarah Vaughn.'

Little touches make a big difference

Small gestures go a long way in making charcuterie feel chic. 'Use vessels: a ceramic bowl for olives, a silver dish for nuts, a linen napkin under a loaf of bread,' Graybill suggests. Break up the flatness of a board with pedestals or stacked boards for height. And never leave cheeses untouched. 'Cut into them before guests arrive. Otherwise, it feels like a museum display.'

Shop Bryan Graybill's essentials for effortless grazing