Seduce them into joining you. And of course having good tasting food brings them. I use smells a lot. I think that just even the smell of chicken roasting in the oven brings people together. I think serving things on platters is great.
People can have as much or as little as they want.
It's a generous way of offering at the table. Don't be too ambitious. If you like to sit with your family, you can' t be at the stove. I never have more than one dish that's hot. Serving grilled chicken breast, I might have a salad that comes afterwards and some dessert or fruit, or fruit and cheese that comes at the end.