Make your Oscar party the talk of the town with these expert tips

Planning an Oscar party? We got tips from some of the nation’s leading chefs and mixologists to help you plan a memorable night!

Pop a bottle of bubbly: Nothing says celebration like a fizzy lifter, so take a cue from some of the nation’s top mixolgists as you prepare your champagne feast.

1. Buddakan Philadelphia’s Guilt cocktail is their twist on the Bellini. The combination of Champagne, blood orange juice, Grand Marnier and simple syrup is a “guilty” pleasure perfect to sip while watching the arrivals.

2. Chef Mark Fuller’s acclaimed Seattle restaurant Spring Hill gives a citrus kick to your Oscar drinks with their Amara cocktail which combines Champagne, Aperol, grapefruit juice and an orange twist garnish.

3. Breaking out of her mold of 1980’s pop, the Lady in Red cocktail, courtesy of Patrick Cappiello at Gilt, mixes fresh strawberries, Grey Goose Citron, Junmai Ginjo Sake and Champagne.

4. Head barman Vincenzo Marianella may have created his Doña Maria cocktail for Penelope Cruz, or he may not have. Either way, his bar Copa d’Oro combines Partida Blanco, Crème de Cassis, agave ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, fresh blackberries and Prosecco to create a floral ode to South America.

5. Love is always in the air at Chef David Myers’ brasserie Comme Ça in Los Angeles. Mix up a Live to Love (Cachaca, St-Germain Elderflower liquor, raspberry and Champagne) as you watch the red carpet, bringing a bit of joie de vivre into your living room.

Would you like butter on your popcorn? While the answer is clearly yes, the following chefs have created new popcorn recipes that incorporate a number of lighter ingredients for recipes easily recreated for your viewing party.

6. At the bar of the new incarnation of their Los Angeles restaurant Hatfield’s, Karen & Quinn Hatfield feature stove-top popped popcorn with garlic, shallot oil and rosemary.

7. At Graham Elliot, Chicago’s first bistronomic restaurant, this young four-star chef ditches bread service for popcorn that is popped in a veritable carnival-style machine. It is then tossed with freshly-grated parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, sea salt, and a drizzle of truffle oil to blend it all together.

Become a star in your own kitchen: It always pays to know someone. Use the below recipes from some of America’s top chefs to ensure your fete is fabulous.

8. Wolfgang Puck is celebrating his 16th consecutive year as the official caterer of the Governor’s Ball, the after party of the Academy Awards. From perennial celebrity favorites, like his smoked salmon pizza and mini burgers with remoulade, to savory and sweet buffets inspired by this year’s nominees, Wolfgang has a font of easy recipes for all home-cooks.

9. In How to Roast a Lamb, Michael Psilakis’ heartfelt ode to the traditional Greek cooking he was raised on, Psilakis shares his mother’s recipes for Assorted Greek Spreads –a simple and fun appetizer for sharing between many guests or few with ease. Dip recipes include Taramosalata, Sundried Tomato-Chick Pea and Tzatziki.

10. For chic and simple snacks look to Food Should Taste Good and their line of all-natural tortilla chips that offer the healthy alternative to snacking for the busy entertainer. Whip up a batch of Coconut and Green Chili Salsa to be paired with the Lime or Jalapeño chips or, for a sweet ending, blend a smooth Hazelnut Spread that pairs perfectly with Cinnamon or Sweet Potato chips.

And, of course, don’t forget to get the kids ready for bed early to enjoy what is sure to be a memorable adult Oscar night!