Around the Table: Tables and Traditions for Gathering

by Shea McGee

The debut cookbook and guidebook for memorable gatherings from bestselling author and interior design expert Shea McGee.

After three years of perfecting every detail and testing recipes on her family at home, Shea McGee presents Around the Table, her first cookbook—a beautiful fusion of design expertise and culinary passion.

Filled with intimate anecdotes about hosting and entertaining, practical tips, seasonal tablescapes, and curated recipes, readers will learn how to effortlessly create elevated dining experiences. More than just a cookbook, it's a complete guide to memorable gatherings that seamlessly blends food, design, and personal storytelling.

Around the Table reveals how the right setting transforms every recipe into an invitation for meaningful moments and lasting memories.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

336 pages, Hardcover

Published April 14, 2026

About the author

Shea McGee founded her design firm, Studio McGee, with her husband Syd in 2014 and together with their team, she has designed hundreds of homes across the country. As their design portfolio and following grew, it paved the way for the launch of their e-commerce brand, McGee & Co., two years later. Their popular Netflix series, Dream Home Makeover, is entering its third season. With a vision that beautiful design can be approachable, they have become one of the leading innovators in the interior design industry. Their firm has become a premiere online retail destination and continues to share their light-filled aesthetic with millions.

Reviews

[Dodi]

Shea McGee, for me anyway, is one of those people I love to hate. She's beautiful, talented, and successful. She has a devoted husband and cute kids. I didn't want to like Around the Table, but I couldn't help myself. It's filled with tempting recipes, menu ideas, table-styling advice, and personal anecdotes. The photography is stunning. I didn't see any of the recipes from this book online, although you can get a good sense of the book here. I made the Confetti Blondies to take to a party, swapping the butter for coconut oil (for a non-dairy-eating friend). The top was crackly, but otherwise delicious, and who knows if that was due to my substitution. The blondies looked like a party with all those sprinkles. Although I consider myself an experienced cook and host, I know I will refer to this book regularly. It's useful and attractive.

[Jessie - ADHD Seasons with Jessie]

I won this cookbook in a Goodreads giveaway and I am not disappointed. The photos are truly beautiful. I really like the table inspirations and seasonal menus. It makes me want to have more house parties!

So, I’m gluten free and egg free. Because of this I always find cookbooks interesting just from my dietary point of view.

For folks like me, I would say that a majority of the recipes include wheat, diary or egg but I think most of them would be easy to substitute other items with. For example, the chapter about pizzas, I know of a few gluten free pizza doughs I could use to try their sauce and toppings. There are some recipes though where I’m not sure how to substitute wheat or egg to get the final product like the chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Overall, I am excited to try some of these recipes (especially the salads)!

[Beth]

This is a beautiful book that invites you to sit down and join the table. The photography is stunning and the food is inviting. The menus are not overly complicated, something that an average person could handle. The book has inspired me to want to invite friends over. Thank you for sharing it with me.

[Debra]

From the beginning, McGee introduces herself as an interior designer, not a chef. Her designs are inspired by her love of traditional gatherings. Her influences run from Ina Garten’s early days on the Food Network to her grandmother’s “magic of a meal made with care” (13).

Tablescapes and hosting take up about the first 30 pages of this book. Honestly, I skipped that part and went straight to the recipes and menus. I love a cookbook with menus. “Garden Brunch” the first gathering with recipes did not dissapoint. I wanted to make everything listed but decided to try the White Bean Hummus with Walnut Oil (39) and the Loaded Everyday Granola (41) first. The No-Bake Bay Leaf Cheesecake (45) sounded amazing, too. To round out this menu, she adds a bit of rose water to her Rosy Mimosas (47). (The brunch starts off with a frittata.)

OK. I really did not want to like this cookbook, but the inventive and beautiful recipes just kept coming. “Farmers Market Lunch” features a simple BLT on focaccia but with a Basil & Lemon Pepper Mayo (57). Then, I was gobsmacked by Strawberry Tabbouleh (59).

I wasn’t quite as impressed with “Celebration Dinner” featuring grilled flank steak, a salad, and confetti blondies. I might be a little let down if this was served to me for a major event. “Spring Fête” was a bit more elevated but not as inspiring as the first two menus.

All of the above menus were from the Spring inspired menus. For the Summer menus, I did love the Balsamic Dipping Oil with red pepper flake, garlic, shallot, thyme and basil (105) featured with a baguette in “Alfresco Evening.” “Backyard BBQ” featured an interesting Charred Corn Salad with Cilantro Dressing (121) and Watermelon Ranch Water (125).

“Pizza Night” was the most fabulous menu in the Summer section. She features a pizza dough and a tomato sauce recipe and then different variations: Fontina Apple Pizza, Hot Honey Pizza, Green Goddess Pizza, and Sausage & Mushroom Pizza (145-153). What I made? The Green Goddess dressing. It’s not like my go to Melissa Ben-Ishay’s blend up of basil, spinach, cashews and nutritional yeast. McGee’s contains marinated artichokes, chives, tarragon, parsley, garlic and whipping cream. (I used half and half.)

I tried the Kale Cashew Pesto form the Turkey Beach Sandwiches from the “Beach Picnic” menu. (I also threw in some nutritional yeast and a splash of vinegar.)

The “Harvest Dinner” for Fall is an elevated Thanksgiving spread with turkey, sweet potato salad, crescent rolls, green beans and stuffing. The stuffing, however, is a Gruyère Brioche one and might need to make our table this November. That Sweet Potatoe Salad is also non traditional and looked delicious (a maple-citrus vinaigrette dresses a green salad with shaved Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries and diced sweet potates).

There’s a menu for Pie Night which features a charcuterie board along with a Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Pie, Pumpkine-Pie Cheesecake Pars, Mixed Berry Slab Pie, and Brown Butter Pecan Pie (199-214).

I also liked the “Soup Bar” menu idea, five soup recipes along with a bread accompaniment: Cornbread Bundts with Rosemary Honey Butter (233). To round out the Fall menus, she includes an “Autumn Evening at Home.”

For Winter, there is a “Christmas Morning” menu with just three items: a dutch baby, mini cinnamon rolls and a fennel salad. She includes ideas for a traditional “Cookie Exchange” and a “Holiday Dinner Party.” I really didn’t see anything revolutionary here except the Cacio E Peppe Mashed Potatoes (287)!!!!!

The “Date Night” menu is elevated with a Silky Mascapone Pappardelle (299) and Pomegranate Sangria (305).

The final section contains a few weeknight meals, some past, porkchops, entree salads, etc.

The index is organized by ingredients as well as category.

The food photographs in the book rival the tablescapes. Recipes make up most of this book which surprised me from the intro. McGee indeed does focus on food for her entertaining. She might not agree with me, but her tablescapes might just take a back seat to her recipes.

I think this book would make a great gift for anyone that loves to entertain. For me, I'm glad I checked it out of the library. I found a lot of really worthy recipes but I was really wanting a bit more from some of the menus. I'm raiting this cookbook 4 out 5 stars.

[Valerie Reid]

This is an absolutely beautifully photographed book of menus and tablescapes, arranged by season and holiday. The recipes are included for each of the dinners and celebrations. They all look so elegant but what really stood out for me was the innovative combination of ingredients and the use of what I probably already have in my kitchen, freezer or pantry. No need to scout out and buy obscure items that I will never use again. With just a few exceptions, the recipes and instructions don't take an inordinate amount of time and many can be made ahead of time.

This book is an inspiration for those wanting to entertain more - whether it's complex holiday meals or just a simple pizza party or burger slider gathering in the back yard. Shea McGee is such a wonderful hostess -- please invite me to your next dinner party of any occasion!

I first heard Shea interviewed on Katie Lee Biegel's podcast All On The Table a couple of months ago -
https://overcast.fm/+ABJ62W71YsE

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

[Kelly]

What a gorgeous cookbook! The photography is lovely, and the hosting ideas are practical and inspired. Looking forward to trying some of the recipes. Until then, it looks fabulous on the counter. The book is set up by menu, which is a great format. Pick your menu, and invite your friends. 4.5 stars.

[MK]

Sometimes I roll my eyes at another book containing a seasonal arrangement of recipes, but this book was quite the exception. The author does an amazing job pulling together recipes that are very manageable and placing them in beautiful contexts. The photography is exceptional. My thanks to Harper Horizon for providing this book to me in a giveaway.

[Katie]

I received this book as part of a giveaway. I like cookbooks that are organized by season (because it provides the best flavor), and there are many recipes in the book I could see myself making. I’ll come back to update after testing a few of the recipes to see how accurate they are.

[Lisa]

This book is gorgeous!!!! I actually won this in a Goodreads giveaway. I love it some much I will be purchasing one to give as a gift.

[Ashley]

This book is beautifully done. The photographs, the recipes, all of it.

[Stephanie]

I loved how this book was laid out by menus for different events. Not a ton of recipes looked like something I’d like to try, but there were a handful! Beautiful design and photography.

[LMTZ]

Food, tables, gardens - all beautifully staged and photographed. Recipes & tips for cooking and presenting meals.
It's nice to dream!

[Nick Salenga]

This is a great book that shows how to elevate ordinary gatherings into extraordinary experience through beautifully curated menus and effortlessly styled table settings.

[Ronda Canary]

4.5

[Rich Gresham]

So good