If he's willing to cut the grass let him have the fan. There are some great looking fans with lights on the market and being that it's over a table ceiling height isn't so much an issue but watch the overall fan width to make sure no one hits there head when they get up from the table. Fans also cut down on heating and cooling costs by circulating the air around the room. When you are at the table by yourself just leave the fan off and everyone gets what they want.

Fans over tables make no sense they cool off the food create breezes that blow paper napkins off the table husbands sometimes just want to have input and it’s not always good and with 8’ ceiling the fan would have to be a ceiling hugger which would place the lighting too high over the table

Not all food is hot and you can always turn if off. The other 99.5% of the time when we aren't eating hot meals it's nice to have the fan. As I always say about lighting, if you don't have it you can't turn it on but you can always turn it off.

i'd have a nice looking stand fan in the corner for the days when the lawn is mown and then no fan overhead but a nice ceiling fixture over the table.

that doesnt mean you cant make a nice cooling station for him with free beer delivery. just that a solution for an infrequent event shouldnt require a 365 day /year design committment.