Around the Table With Joy Asfar
On tablescapes, rituals, and the Joys of Staying In
If you’d asked me at 20 what I wanted to do for a living, I would have said something along the lines of “host dinners for a living”. I was running a nascent fashion business then, before Balboste and We Are Ona turned hosting into cultural phenomena. It never occurred to me that gathering people around a table could be a career in its own right. But what I did know, even then, was this: I love to cook, I love to bring people together, I love a theme and I love the ritual of setting the table.
Fast forward a decade of immersion in tech & venture capital, I’ve somehow found my way back to the thing that I’ve always loved. When I launched SOFRA, my goal was to highlight the incredible tableware I was collecting on my travels and the artisans behind it. But over time, I realised it was about more than just the objects. It was also about the hosts, the people behind the scenes.
Tableware doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s brought to life when set on a table, part of a meal, part of an atmosphere. And so began my journey to do more than curate, my journey to bring people together around beautiful tables.
I first met Joy, founder of JOSI (Joys of Staying In), like many people meet these days, on Instagram. Safe to say we had a lot to talk about. A few DMs and a zoom call later, and we instantly hit it off. Fast forward eight months and she was hosting our very first SOFRA dinner at her beautiful home in West London. That same evening was also the debut of our Board of Hosts, a group of creatives, designers, and collectors who share a talent for bringing people together and embodying what it means to host with intention.
Joy’s table began with the Gymmetria plates by Laboratorio Paravincini and the rest followed like a puzzle of texture and shapes. As Joy built the look, she found it liberating to set a table with no rules: mixing bright colours, playing with proportion and letting her instinct lead the way.
Today, I wanted to sit down with Joy to talk about her hosting style and to share a few snippets from that special summer evening in London last May.
For those who might not know you, could you please introduce yourself?
I’m Joy Asfar, the founder of JOSI (Joys of Staying In), a creative studio dedicated to hosting and art de la table. I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of storytelling, aesthetics, and purpose. I started in the art world, moved into sustainability, and somehow found myself setting tables that tell stories. One thing led to another and now I help brands and people turn everyday moments into experiences.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Beirut and moved to Paris when I was five, where I spent most of my childhood. At 18, I moved to London, which has been my home ever since.
Did you grow up around a lot of family tables? What was your family's hosting rhythm like when you were growing up?
Our house was, and still is, always open. Hosting is second nature in my family, and everyone knows they can drop by last minute and there will be a place at the table. Being Lebanese, feeding people is part of who we are, so there’s always plenty of food. Now that we’re older, what I love most is how the table brings together different generations, it’s never just one age group, but a real mix of voices and stories.
What’s the thing your mom does really well when hosting?
My mom is the OG hostess. Her tables are always very organic. She’ll mix old and new, with a vision in mind that somehow evolves as she goes. But what she does best is make it all feel effortless. The atmosphere is so natural that people immediately feel comfortable, which I think is the ultimate hosting skill.
Have you picked up any hosting rituals from your mom?
My mother keeps a record of every guest list and menu from her dinners. It might seem tedious, but it’s actually a great reference and a source of inspiration. She also never buys ready-made bouquets, she always makes them herself. I think that’s what gives her tables their charm: they feel personal and never too “done”. I’ve definitely inherited both habits.
Actually the ultimate hosting advice which she told me many years ago: if you’re hosting, the evening is for your guests not for you. And that is something I’ve always remembered.
Could you walk us through any hosting rituals you have? What does the day before look like? What about 30 mins before guests arrive?
I usually plan the menu about a week ahead, write it down, and organise the grocery list. On the day, I’ll set the table early in the morning. I have a sense of the style I want, but I always leave room for interpretation as it comes together. Flowers happen later in the day, and I never plan those in advance. I just go to my florist, see what’s seasonal, and let that guide me.
When it comes to cooking, I’m very organised. I always design a menu that can be completely prepared ahead of time. Reheating is fine, but I hate having to actually cook once people arrive, it makes me lose my confidence. I’d rather be present at the table than stressed in the kitchen.
Do you have something you particularly like to do to make guests feel comfortable post dinner?
My little trick is serving what we call in Lebanon ahwe bayda or white coffee. It’s simply hot water with a dash of orange blossom water, but it ends the meal on a cosy, wholesome note. Guests always love it, and it feels like a gentle way to close the evening.
Is there a recipe your mother/teta has given you?
We have many family recipes from lemon pasta to some Lebanese dishes. But one that I always come back to is Ninette’s chocolate cake. Our friends used to come visit and ask for it. It’s that good!
Where do you find most inspiration around what to cook when hosting? Do you prefer to make dishes you’ve already made or new recipes?
I love the pre-dinner prep, digging into my cookbooks and my recipe folder on my computer. But as a rule, if it’s more than four people, I never try a new recipe. It’s just too stressful. I usually stick to family-style cooking, things like slow-cooked stews that can sit and wait until everyone’s ready. They’re comforting, generous, and take the pressure off. I’ve also written about my favourite cookbooks here.
Are there colours you tend to gravitate towards? Any colours you avoid, and why?
I love colorful tables, and one of my favorite colours is yellow… Fittingly, Asfar actually means yellow in Arabic. The one colour I always avoid, both on my table and in my wardrobe, is green. Don’t ask me why, it’s a family thing, and I’ve just kept it.
You mentioned you love to bake, do you have a go to dessert you like to make?
Anything meringue. Individual ones, or a big pavlova. They always have that “wow” effect, and for me, the taste is tied to childhood memories.
Do you like using fruit and vegetables in your table settings?
I never have a set idea when I’m putting a table together. Fruits and vegetables are so easy and so underrated. Lemons, a pile of pomegranates, even radishes can be just as beautiful as flowers, sometimes even more. They add texture, seasonality, and a little surprise. I like my tables to feel playful, different, and a bit unexpected.
How do you think about who to invite to a dinner?
It really depends on my mood. Sometimes it’s an easy dinner with friends who already know each other, and other times I love mixing and matching people. Curating the guest list is as important, if not more, than the table or the food. It’s actually one of my favourite parts, along with the seating plan (when there is one!).
Thank you, Joy, for hosting a SOFRA dinner at your home. The table was an extension of your world, personal and full of details that made everyone feel instantly at ease. It was the perfect reminder of why we gather, and how the right mix of people, food, and atmosphere can turn an evening into something memorable. You kicked off the series perfectly and we cannot wait for our next Board of Hosts dinner.
Until next time Sahtein, and thank you for pulling up a chair,
Dana x
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