Cooking in a small space

I have never really had an apartment of my own. So, it was important to prepare a meal for my family. My Mom was was in town and I invited my aunt Hoan and uncle Toan who are like my second parents and my cousins, Diep, Erik, Ben, Jack. I knew this would be a hard task, as my aunt and uncle are traditional Vietnamese eaters. Since Vietnamese food is highly influenced by the French, I thought it would be fitting to prepare a meal similar to both cuisines. Hence, I featured ingredients similar to Vietnam and France. For the Amuse Bouche; Poached Shrimp with Avacado Salsa, First Course; Celery root soup with Roasted Pumpkin seeds, Second Course; Braised Chicken (cooked in the new Le Creuset pot from Mom) in bay leaves, white wine, mushrooms with Red Mustard Greens over Forbidden Rice and Quinoa, and lastly Dessert; Poached Pears in Grappa with ice cream.

I felt my aunt, uncle, and mom were pleased as they gave me a thumbs up after the meal. My apartment maybe small (700 square ft) but I only needed a space big enough for 5X3 ft table to share such a meaningful dinner.