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The group gathered at the Northeastern University fields off Columbus Avenue for games and appetizers before dinner at Bissonnette’s South End home. The chef prepared Thai sausage hot dogs (pictured), another provided squash soup, and guests shucked oysters. They passed mulled cider, flasks of bourbon, and Fernet Branca. The tradition began when Bissonnette left Eastern Standard, where he had worked on Thanksgiving, and suddenly found himself with a holiday. “What started small ended in 28 people sitting on beds, chairs, floors. A 600-square-foot apartment covered in gravy, broken glass, and joy,” he said. “The following year, we had to do it again.”

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Teammates high-fived after scoring a run in the kickball game. During their time in the park, guests also played cornhole toss and Kirsten “Kitty” Amman, a founder of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, led a yoga class. “We fell in the mud, drank, and ate. It was a sick turnout,” Bissonnette said. “I bounced to and from the apartment, cooking and prepping. I love cooking at home for friends.”

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Eventually, everyone appeared at Bissonnette’s apartment for the potluck, where he served bites including pate, more oysters, and dumplings. For dinner, guests munched on brined turkey, roast breasts, confit, roasted legs and wings, and gizzard sausage gravy. Each year, Bissonnette has between 12 and 35 people rotate through his house, though he says he’s never hosted more than 25 at one time. While the menu changes year to year, he always serves turkey, stuffing, gravy, sauce, and cauliflower, and often pate, cheeses, oysters, and shrimp cocktail.

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Generous amounts of gravy were poured over the turkey along with olive oil. The chef said, “We pour it on a ton of things to give it a last finishing zip.” While Bissonnette typically prepares a 30-pound bird, friends usually supply mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffed figs, Brussels sprouts, porchetta, and desserts and drinks. Last year’s surprise hit was braised kale with snails and Chinese black vinegar, and pork cassoulet, he said.

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Among the nontraditional appetizers: tacos.

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Bissonnette prepared one of his specialties and a staple of his Thanksgiving meal: cauliflower with thyme, garlic, lemon, and butter. Hosting the staff of his two restaurants for the holiday is a comfortable fit for the chef. “Working in a restaurant, all staff meals are family meals. We see more of each other than our given families,” he says. “We become our chosen work families. It just seemed natural.”

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“After dinner, we drink Fernet, pretend not to eat more, but continue to anyhow,” Bissonnette says, adding that they watch “random movies,” play charades, dance, and often go to bars after enjoying some drinks. “Someone usually brings punch. We always have a case of the following: white, red, and rose wine, and Cava, beer, and Basque sidra [cider].” To pair with the charcuterie, everything from cocktails to sherry to sake is served.