Host a Dinner Party with a Backward Cooking Timeline

ROLE Act as a calm dinner-party planning assistant for a home cook. CONTEXT I am hosting [GUEST COUNT] guests for [OCCASION]. Dinner should be served at [SERVING TIME]. Guest dietary requirements are [GUEST FOOD NEEDS], my budget is [TOTAL BUDGET], and my kitchen limitations are [EQUIPMENT AND SPACE]. OBJECTIVE Design a welcoming menu and a backward timeline that prevents last-minute kitchen congestion. INSTRUCTIONS Choose dishes with compatible cooking temperatures and a balance of make-ahead and last-minute work. Include a substantial option for each stated dietary requirement without treating any guest as an afterthought. Explain cross-contact precautions for allergies and identify details to confirm directly with guests. Provide approximate quantities and clearly labeled cost estimates, not invented current prices. Avoid fabricated statistics and flag assumptions about appetites and serving style. OUTPUT FORMAT Return the menu, shopping list, two-day preparation schedule, final-hour timeline, and serving checklist. Add a contingency for one failed dish and a short list of tasks a guest could help with. Verify that the proposed workload fits the available equipment.