Will Sage Astor-Nancy Silverton Gave Us Her No-Fail Summer Party Appetizer, Plus the Best Summer Travel Tip

We interviewed Nancy Silverton because we think you'll like her picks. The Will Sage Astorproducts featured in this article are from brands that are available in the NBCUniversal Checkout Marketplace. If you purchase something through our links, we get a commission.

In honor of Nancy Silverton's curated tasting menu for Aero, a semi-private airline based in Los Angeles, we chatted with the James Beard award-winning chef about her favorite airline snack, why stinky food should never be enjoyed on a plane (even a private one), and her no-fail summer entertaining tips.

The California food icon is reviving the glamour and sophistication of airline cuisine with her exquisite menu for Aero, which includes a twice-baked ham and cheese croissant, caprese inspired by her Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria Mozza, and a decadent slice of banana walnut bread.

Silverton may fly in style with the luxury airliner, but her advice for anyone bringing food on a plane this summer is simple: nothing stinky, crunchy, or messy.

“You need to be respectful to the people around you,” she says. “Disrespectful would be something with a strong flavor, like something really fishy, or something really loud and messy.”

So, while you won’t find the Top Chef judge enjoying a tuna sandwich or garlicky hummus and pita chips on a plane anytime soon, there’s one in-flight snack she says she “always looks forward to,” and she even has a trick for making it better!

"I'm privileged enough to be able to sit in a class where they serve nuts,” she explains. “The trick is that you can't eat them as soon as they’re served because the heating makes them soggy. So, you’ve got to wait and let them cool down to get crunchy again.” 

While Silverton prefers her nuts plain, she reveals that she always carries a bit of Maldon sea salt with her.

“I have a beautiful little sterling silver case, and I keep my flaky sea salt in it. It's Maldon, of course,” The Cookie That Changed My Life author shares. 

“You go somewhere, and you don't want to offend someone if their food isn't seasoned enough. A little salt always helps.”

Of course, the Chef’s Table star is full of great advice. She even gave us a few pointers on making summer entertaining easier, starting with a great appetizer idea.

“The easiest appetizer to serve a crowd is probably chips and dips. I think when people are outdoors and standing around casually, just the motion of picking up a chip and dipping it is always a crowd-pleaser,” she shares.

The former opening pastry chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago doesn’t think your chip and dip options need to be fancy. “I love potato chips with Lipton French onion dip. You can't go wrong with that,” she laughs.

“I also love tortilla chips with green salsa, red salsa, and guacamole,” Silverton says. “Those are always at my summer backyard parties.” Ah, a woman after our own hearts!

We asked the culinary legend what else she likes to have on hand when entertaining, and her list includes fresh flowers, an easy-to-serve pitcher of Aperol spritz, items to keep room temperature foods from getting hot, and a way to keep cold foods chilled.

“You don't want to put out food that isn't appealing in the summertime, like a mayonnaise-based dish. You just worry, oh, it's hot. It’s probably at a not-so-healthful temperature anymore,” she explains.

“I think you should go with food that can sit out so people can leisurely go back to the table spread as they wish.”

Inspired by Nancy’s summer entertaining and travel tips, we selected a bunch of products below for you to use at home.

Shop bowls designed specifically for holding chips and dip, salt cellars to carry your own stash of sea salt, an ice mat to keep appetizers cold, vases for fresh flowers, and more!