Thanksgiving Planning Made Easy

As we inch closer to Thanksgiving, it’s time to start planning. This is the day where the hosts either rise to the occasion or crash and burn. Even for someone who’s cooked professionally most of my life, Thanksgiving still brings a little stress. Let me make your life easier with a few tips, a game plan, and some drink recommendations to keep it all rolling smoothly.

Step One: Make a Plan

Start early, trust me, future you will thank you. The later you wait, the more you’ll find yourself shoulder-to-shoulder in the store with everyone else who didn’t read this article. Write your menu, it’s okay to mix it up — toss out the dishes that no one’s really into unless you’ve absolutely nailed them. This is also where you decide what you’re drinking. Make a timeline, I use a little whiteboard and break it down by day — prep lists, shopping lists, everything. That’s how to avoid those “oh sh*t” moments of realizing you need more cream cheese or onions and sprinting back to the store.

Step Two: Coordinate

Find out now who’s bringing what. Nothing worse than spending half a day making dessert only for five guests to walk in with pumpkin pies. If you want to make life even easier, check out what local restaurants are offering for Thanksgiving to-go. I’m a huge fan of mixing in some restaurant help, even if it’s just the gravy. Seriously, skip roasting bones and making stock this year. Buy it. Game changer. Each restaurant has a cutoff for orders, so hit their websites early and get those orders in. Know your pickup times and reheat instructions, and you’ll be golden.

Step Three: Use Your Space Wisely

Oven and stovetop space is prime real estate when planning a big meal. Be strategic. If you’ve got an immersion circulator and vacuum sealer, use them — they’ll save you a ton of space. Gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato purée, even smoked turkey breast work great sous vide. I’m also a big fan of disposable aluminum pans (with lids). They’re easy to stack, fit perfectly on the grill if you’re using it as a warming zone, and cleanup is as simple as tossing them out.

Step Four: Don’t Stress

Plans are great — but don’t freak out if you have to change them. Confidence is key. Do what you’re good at, try something new if you want, and don’t be afraid to order what you don’t want to cook. This should be fun. You’ve got this.

Thanksgiving To-Go: Some Local Favorites

• Local Foods Group – Turkey from Maximo, sides and salads from Local Foods, pasta from Milton’s, and desserts from all their spots. One-stop shop.
• Hugo’s, Caracol, and Urbe – All have slightly different menus, but expect roasted turkey, pineapple-habanero ham, tamales, killer sides, desserts, and even cocktails or taco kits.
• Latuli – Really cool options here. You can get your turkey either fully cooked and ready to serve, or raw, brined, seasoned, and ready to smoke or roast. Don’t skip the sausage stuffing, green bean casserole, or duck gumbo.
• Feges BBQ – Whole smoked turkeys, brisket, ribs, sausage, sides, desserts, and sauces. Basically everything you need.
• Truth BBQ – Smoked brisket, turkey, stuffing, and all the fixings. Simple. Perfect.

A Few Spots I Love for Thanksgiving dinner

If you’d rather skip the cooking altogether, make a reservation and let someone else do the heavy lifting. Restaurants love seeing guests on the holidays, and it’s a great way to support them.

• Brennan’s of Houston – Might be tough to snag a table, but worth it. The turkey dinner is a classic, and the prix fixe menu has something for everyone.
• Navy Blue and Bar Bludorn – My family went to Navy Blue last year, and it was fantastic. The turkey was spot-on, the hanger steak was a hit, and those crispy potatoes with bordelaise? Absolute perfection.
• Toro Toro at the Four Seasons – Great for families with different tastes. Their Thanksgiving buffet is beautiful, and when you’re done, go downstairs to Bayou & Bottle for a bourbon and some football. Perfect combo.

Let’s Talk Drinks

I caught up with my buddy Antonio Gianola over at Houston Wine Merchant to talk Thanksgiving wines, and these are a few of his (and my) picks:

• 2023 Aurélien Chatagnier Saint Joseph Blanc – $58.99: Antonio swears this is the best turkey-day pairing ever. A blend of Marsanne and Roussanne — rich on the palate with bright acidity. Perfect balance.
• 2024 Kuentz Bas Alsace Blanc – $16.99: A blend of Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. It’s charming, food-friendly, and works with basically everything on the table.
• 2024 Domaine de Triennes Rosé – $19.99: From two Burgundy legends (Domaine Dujac and Romanée-Conti). Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, and Merlot. It’s light, fresh, and just straight-up delicious.
• 2022 North Valley Classic Pinot Noir – $37.99: Made by my good friend James Cahill up in the Willamette Valley. This one’s a standout — expressive, beautifully balanced, and a true taste of the region. Stock up.

Conclusion

I hope this helps take some of the stress out of your Thanksgiving. The big takeaway? Use your tools, plan ahead, and, when all else fails, make a martini and call it a day. Happy Thanksgiving — enjoy it with the people you love most. Need any other Thanksgiving advice? Send an email to chris@chrisshepherd.is. Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $12 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund. Catch his TV show, Eat Like a Local, every Saturday at 10 am on KPRC Channel 2 or on YouTube.