Have you ever sat down and just drawn a blank when you are thinking about what you want for lunch or any other meal for that matter! You know that you have a taste for this or that, but just have trouble putting your finger on the final choice. Well, consider this problem multiplied by about, let’s see – two-hundred guests. Yikes!
There is a method to this madness, and I am bout to show you exactly how to unravel this time honored problem.
Buffet is a great option for a mixer or kid's room!
As before, we must consider your theme and decide if we are going to attempt to match the culinary selections to the décor. As an example, say you chose a Jungle or Hawaiian décor, it would probably be fun to choose foods that would accentuate this theme. Excellent ideas could include; a tropical fruit salad (bananas, mangoes, kiwi, papaya, etc.), leafy green salad, gummy insects and worms, “Dirt Pudding” made from chocolate pudding and crumbled Oreo cookies or Rotisserie-style chicken or pork.
Another consideration is your audience. Will the event cater to a particular group like children, adults, or specific groups? I doubt that adults would enjoy gummy insects, but they would have fun with desserts shaped in fun jungle animals or objects like flaming torch pie. (Check with your venue before deciding on any flaming food or décor.
Stagger your choices! You want to make sure that each course or buffet item is something completely new and different. As an example, if you used chicken on your appetizer, you would not want to use it again. One of my favorites is a simple Flat Iron Steak! They are very tasty, tender and great on the budget. If you use a lemon flavored dressing, you may want to wait until dessert before adding that flavor to your menu again, or perhaps choose chocolate or another flavor for your dessert all together.
Make sure that you consider all of your options. Review the entire caterer’s menu, select several items from each category concentrating on items that are personally appealing! This will add your personal touch to the menu and reflect you own sense of style and flavor. If you don’t see anything that you like, don’t be afraid to suggest a favorite family recipe. Most good caterers will allow you to go off of their standard menus, or revise their recipes to meet you needs.
Schedule a tasting. Most caterers will not offer a tasting unless you ask for one. You will need to have your choices narrowed down for this process so that you don’t waste a lot of time on choices that are actually not an option. Most caterers will provide a tasting free of charge, as long as you meet specific minimums and are willing to secure your event with a deposit. They simple want to be sure that you have made a commitment for their services, before they incur the expense and time for the tasting.
Mix and match your components. Taste and consider each part of the sample provided. If you like the dressing on one salad and the presentation or ingredients of another, ask the caterers to use only the parts that are appealing to you. Another example would be stuffing used in pork chops or chicken. Taste the stuffing separately from the meat and make sure that you are satisfied with the combination.
Consider the practical nature of your choices. Sometimes individuals ask that we drop off Hors d’oeuvres especially for our small receptions or parties. Many selections of this type would not stand up well for holding and can often become stale when prepared in advance. For this reason, we would suggest that you choose items that can be practically suited to your needs, or be prepared to have a Chef attend your event to make fresh hors d’oeuvres or other items. Another consideration would be temperature and how close the preparation area is to the service area. I have personally attended events designed with the kitchen several hundred yards from the dining room, which has caused issues with hot plated service.
Make sure that you spend time with your caterer or event planner. Successfully relaying your minds vision for your event will translate into a successful event. It is extremely helpful when your caterer is also your event planner. This will provide for less coordination between the two and will keep your point of contact simplified. Event planning services are typically free, so you want to be sure that you utilize all of the resources that are available to you. They will often provide menu options and choices that naturally fit into the other components of your event.
We hope that this advice has been helpful, and wish you the very best success with your event or party. You can get help with ideas and options by contacting one of our expert Event Planners. You can contact Adrien Isaak any time at 619-501-4522, sample menus are available on our web-site at www.AdrienIsaak.com.
