When it comes to holiday gatherings, there will be no turkey feast for 40 this year. No elaborate cookie exchanges or lavish office parties with big, communal eggnog.

Yes, 2020 will be the strangest holiday season ever. But last we checked, merriment is not a numbers game; it’s a state of mind. And with a little help from some of the Bay Area’s up and coming caterers, even the tiniest gathering can be a brilliant success.

San Francisco chef and caterer Andrea Lawson Gray began getting requests for tiny parties just a few months into the pandemic: a 50th birthday with the social bubble, an anniversary celebration for two. She quickly learned how to downscale once-typical wedding receptions or tech company soirees and make them safe and socially distanced for these times.

“We’ll be doing a lot of holiday parties outside with heaters this year,” says Gray, who is the co-founder of Private Chefs of the SF Bay Area, a collective of nine chefs who specialize in 31 types of cuisine and have a combined 70-plus years of experience in restaurants, including several with Michelin nods. “We’re not doing buffets or shared plates, of course.”

What they are doing — and with great success — are small plates, passed appetizers and portioned mains that dazzle just as much as that centerpiece bird. “You can do duck, which is ideal for two people, or goose,” Gray says. Crab or lobster always feel decadent and are the holiday go-to for many families.

Chef-caterer Tony Santos, who runs the temporarily closed Tony Caters cafe at The Tech Interactive museum in San Jose, has found a novel way to address the company parties that won’t be held this season at The Tech or anywhere else. He’s created Tony’s Holiday Pantry boxes — a full meal for two that just needs reheating — that Silicon Valley firms and others can order for their employees at home. (And if some staffers are working from out of state, Santos is shipping boxes of sweet treats and other goodies.)

For those small at-home family gatherings, Santos suggests dressing up comfort food in small, partylike portions. More courses equals more festive fun. “I think people are trying to make the holiday as special as they can,” he said.

Rayane Abi Abboud and Jill Egi of the Left Bank Restaurant Group’s Vine Party Design agree that this year, it’s all about creating what they call “memorable moments.”

After years of specializing in huge corporate catering events for 500 to 800 people, they pivoted this year to creating Left Bank packages for celebratory occasions at home. Besides special meals from the Santana Row restaurant in San Jose, they line up virtual sessions with chefs, sommeliers and bartenders — for families, small groups and corporate clients.

It doesn’t take much to dress up your home holiday feast, they say. Use festive dinnerware and linens and think about printing out menu cards. “That’s a cute little touch,” Abi Abboud says.

If your family or bubble is a group of grazers, forgo a traditional meal for a hearty cheese and charcuterie board, like the showstoppers Karla Ahmed builds. Ahmed, a Castro Valley paralegal, started Brie Grazing Boards back in February, and the intense FOMO brought on by her bewitching Instagram page fast-tracked the business. You’ll now spot those boards around Livermore, including at Arroyo Cellars.

For safety, equip guests with their own tongs to grab meats and other goodies. “You’re just being extra cautious and responsible,” she says. “I like reusable bamboo or palm leaf tongs, which you can find on Amazon.” She also suggests handing out “mini wooden honey dippers for drizzling honey atop your brie and apple slices. Kids love them like party favors.”

And we could all use a party favor this year.

Appetizer: Andrea Lawson Gray’s Molletes

Gray is the collective’s resident expert in what she describes as Californio cooking, a mix of modern California and traditional Mexican cuisine. Her molletes, a bruschetta-style, open-faced sandwich topped with chorizo or bacon, homemade refried beans, cheese and a fig salsa, is the perfect opening to a cozy, informal gathering. They can be served whole, though that’s a hefty starter. Best to cut into slices.

Chef Andrea Lawson Gray’s Molletes are similar to bruschetta, but made with Mexican bread, refried beans, queso Oaxaca and “higo de gallo.” (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

To build them, Gray starts with bolillos, the crusty oval Mexican rolls found at most panaderias. She slices them lengthwise, toasts them in a hot pan and tops them with a schmear of beans followed by the chorizo or bacon (if using) and Oaxacan cheese. Pop them under the broiler until they reach melty goodness and finish with a scoop of drained fig or pico de gallo. Slice or halve and serve.

Cheese & Charcuterie: Karla Ahmed’s grazing boards

Ahmed’s paper cones and boards — served on handmade Bay Area Redwood slabs — brim with cheeses, charcuterie, seasonal produce, dried fruit and unexpected snacks, like yogurt pretzels, making them irresistibly bright, comforting and kid-friendly.

“Building a board as a family is actually a great activity,” Ahmed says. “Everyone can put their favorites on there.” She suggests starting with edible greenery — ideally, kale or chard. Pile on sliced citrus along the edges. After that, place two or three cheeses on the board along with meats, like salami or charcuterie. Fill in the gaps with nuts, pretzels and dried fruit.

For a pop of holiday red, she suggests quartered pomegranates or sugar-dusted cranberries. To get the sugar to stick, use a touch of honey or simple syrup.

Main Course: Tony Santos’ Bourbon-Braised Short Ribs with Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

Over his career, chef-owner Tony Santos of Tony Caters has segued from hotel chef to corporate chef, restaurant owner and caterer, but there’s been one constant: You can always count on his menus to feature an awesome braised or smoked meat dish.

For small, at-home holiday season parties, he suggests an impressive but easy to make dish that will be plated in individual portions. And nothing says comfort like braised short ribs. These beauties are marinated in red wine overnight, then braised in bourbon, but don’t worry about any boozy effect. “The alcohol is pretty well cooked out,” he assures.

Tony Santos serves his braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes and a savory, but very easy sauce. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

He’s nestling 3-ounce portions atop garlic mashed potatoes and adding gremolata for a little zest. You can go with even smaller bites if you like — that way there’s room for other party courses. And a bonus: leftover short ribs.

Dessert: Left Bank and Vine Party Design’s Holiday Pear Tarts

In a year like this, dinner must be capped off with a special dessert. Chef David Bastide, the director of culinary operations for Left Bank, came up with a festive, fruit-forward idea — a tart that he laughingly said one of his longtime servers called “Christmas in my mouth.”

You’ll know what that means the minute you bite into the baked pears that have been poached in winter spices and red wine.

Chef David Bastide’s Holiday Tart is filled with red wine-poached pears. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) 

If you’re already a masterful from-scratch pie baker, you can impress your family and social bubble with your kitchen acumen. Or you can take the easy way out and still rake in the compliments: “If you aren’t comfortable working with dough, you can use premade tart shells,” Bastide says. “It can be a lot quicker and definitely less intimidating.”

Merry cocktail: Deck the Halls’ Puerto Rico Egg Nog

San Francisco mixologist Shaher Misif is a bit of a holiday cocktail expert. He’s the brains behind Deck the Halls, the holiday-themed bar that pops up every winter at Shaher’s 1217 Sutter in Lower Nob Hill. And while Misif is not yet certain if an in-person Deck the Halls will return this year — keep an eye on that at www.instagram.com/deckthehallsbar — he does know one thing: You need to make coquito for your family or social bubble.

The coconut-based nog is simmered with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and anise — and it’s vegan, so everyone can partake. “It’s the perfect cocktail…it can transport you to a beach in Puerto Rico and ring in the winter season at the same time,” says Misif, who kept his bar and restaurant open through June to feed essential workers.

Make a pitcher and keep it in the fridge, where it will remain stable for more than a month. We doubt you’ll let it last that long, though.