THE ART OF a Perfect Thanksgiving
Four Creators. One Beautifully Curated Thanksgiving Table.
The best Thanksgiving tables rarely come together by accident. They are built through layers: something seasonal at the center, food that feels generous, a cocktail poured at just the right moment, dessert worth lingering over—and the people who give the occasion its meaning. This season, CityCenterDC brings together four Washington creatives at Thermador to consider Thanksgiving through their own disciplines. Floral artist Sidra Forman looks to nature for a table shaped by the season. Rochelle Julich, mixologist and founder of SHKR, approaches the gathering through the ritual of the cocktail. Kristina, founder of Cake by Kika, brings artistry to the final course, while Chef Joe Marshall of Thermador reimagines the familiar flavors at the heart of the holiday meal. Together, their perspectives offer a more considered way to think about entertaining—not as a pursuit of perfection, but as the art of creating atmosphere, generosity, and connection around the table.
Because ultimately, Thanksgiving is less about any single dish or detail than the feeling created when everything, and everyone, comes together.
Setting the Table FOR THANKSGIVING WITH Sidra Forman
For floral artist and designer Sidra Forman, a table begins long before the first guest arrives.
Her work is deeply connected to seasonality and to the growers, farmers, and producers who supply her studio. Flowers and foliage may be foraged, gathered from her own city garden, sourced from local growers and small farms across the country, or selected from trusted partners farther afield. The result is work that feels less arranged than composed by nature itself.
For Thanksgiving, Forman looks to the harvest for inspiration. Seasonal foliage, botanicals, and natural elements come together in a tablescape shaped by texture, movement, and the changing colors of the season.
Rather than striving for rigid symmetry or formality, her approach embraces character and variation—the irregular branch, the unexpected stem, the beauty of something slightly imperfect.
It is a reminder that a compelling table does not need to be overly decorated. Sometimes the most memorable settings simply allow the season to speak for itself.
A THANKSGIVING Feast WITH Chef Joe Marshall
At the center of Thanksgiving is the meal itself: familiar dishes, repeated traditions, and flavors that immediately signal the holiday.
For Chef Joe Marshall of Thermador, those classics become a starting point rather than a rulebook. His Thanksgiving menu layers familiar comfort with considered technique, from a glazed ham infused with aromatic cloves to rich, slow-cooked duck confit.
The sides are equally generous. Three-cheese macaroni and cheese combines Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Boursin for a creamy, deeply savory finish, while sautéed green beans with earthy mushrooms and salted onions bring texture and balance to the table. A cranberry and lingonberry sauce cuts through the richness with a bright, sweet-tart note.
The result is a feast that feels recognizable without being predictable.
Rather than reinventing Thanksgiving entirely, Chef Joe shows how careful preparation, contrast, and a few unexpected ingredients can make the dishes everyone knows feel newly considered.
SWEET INSPIRATIONS: THANKSGIVING Baking WITH Kristina of Cake by Kika
For Kristina, founder of Cake by Kika, dessert is where craftsmanship and imagination meet.
What began as a creative pursuit during the pandemic grew into a business centered on highly
detailed cakes and pastries designed to make an occasion feel singular. Her work combines flavor with visual storytelling, using buttercream, fondant, and intricate decorative techniques to transform cakes, cupcakes, and cookies into pieces meant to be admired before they are eaten.
For Thanksgiving, Kristina brings that same sensibility to the dessert table with decorated cakes, seasonal bites, pastries, and cinnamon rolls that feel equal parts comforting and celebratory.
There is an element of nostalgia in the familiar flavors, but the execution is unmistakably her own: polished, playful, and highly considered.
Because after a long meal, dessert should do more than signal the end. It should give everyone a reason to stay at the table a little longer.
A Toast TO THANKSGIVING: HOLIDAY COCKTAILS WITH Rochelle Julich
For Rochelle Julich, founder of SHKR, a great cocktail is only part of the equation. The larger idea is hospitality: creating an experience that feels effortless for guests and allows the host to be part of the occasion rather than orchestrating it from the sidelines.
After more than a decade working across fine dining, bars, and event hospitality, Julich founded SHKR during the pandemic, recognizing an opportunity for a more personal approach to event bartending. Today, that philosophy still guides the company: drinks should be carefully made, but they should also contribute to the mood, rhythm, and pleasure of gathering.
For Thanksgiving, Julich turns to flavors that feel unmistakably seasonal. A Pomegranate French 75 brings brightness and effervescence to the table, while a fig-forward cocktail introduces something richer and more autumnal. A Peppermint Espresso Martini finishes on a playful note, bridging the evening between dessert and after-dinner conversation. Each offers a different expression of the season—and another reason to raise a glass.
