Buffet Catering tips

X quick and easy tips for party food success

Whilst we realise that we are enthusiasts on this topic, we believe that buffets can, and should be so much more than a necessary-fuel attitude, curling sandwich triangles and sausage rolls.

We have put together a list of tips that you can use to achieve great things for your next event and of course demonstrate all of the skills and techniques we use when putting together our own packages and products.

#1. Stick to your story

Whether it be a cuisine, theme or colour scheme, we believe that a well thought out and cohesive menu can be the difference between a coming across as a curated culinary adventure and a random collection of what-was-on-offer from the nearest petrol station.

The problem with relying on your local supermarket to categorise food as “party food” is that onion bhajis, quiches and seafood sticks inevitably end up mingling together on guests’ plates and, well, we think we can do better.

If you are choosing a certain cuisine a quick internet search will reveal many recipes that have been approved by a nation to go well together - and taking individual elements from this and repeating this in its various forms is a way to expand on this further.

For example if you have a summery mediterranean theme and find some fantastic tomatoes and fresh herbs try putting them to use in salads and sandwiches but also with cheese on skewers and blended into a simple soup.

Having repeating flavours and themes with a multitude of creative twists rather than being monotonous actually creates a harmony across your menu which even the least sophisticated of palettes will thank you for.

#2. The devil’s in the details

Apportioning a decent amount of your time and budget to the decorative aspects of your spread can pay off in spades as the ‘you eat with your eyes’ mantra holds as true for buffets as ever.

Considering most events are ultimately realised as a group of people hovering around food, it is important that everything from the table coverings and decorations to platters and plates are considered as their effect as a whole.

If you don’t have access to porcelain serving dishes we advocate sourcing eco-friendly disposable tableware and sticking to one range of products for a matching ensemble. Another cost effective decoration tip is to simply use ingredients from the preparation of the buffet - remember the tomatoes from our first tip? Leave them whole and they can brighten up a spread, never looking tacky or cheap and can be rinsed and cooked after making them essentially free!

#3.Avoiding traffic jams

A well thought-out and flowing buffet layout can guide your guests through the creations you have provided quickly and efficiently allowing them and you to spend less time queueing and more time at the party.

Simple strategies such as putting plates at the start, serving tongs in each dish, and cutlery & napkins at the end work well, and a dry-run with all the platters you intend to use to checking everything fits can save headaches later.

If you have large numbers of guests attending simply laying a giant single table with huge stacks of food can create a bottleneck as you can be sure that everyone wants to try a little of everything!

It can be effective to have more than one identical buffet station, either separate or next to each other, mirrored and operating from both ends. Go all out and add ‘satellite stations’ away from the main foray for those who shy away from crowds, letting them nibble whilst the initial rush dies down.