250 guests event planning

[CharlieD]

What I meant was that you can either do a mixed salad with a few choices of dressing, or do a salad bar (all in) and hope it attracts folks.

With all of the other delicious stuff ou offered, who's going to waste space on their plate with "just salad". It depends on the crowd.

My wife's friends would eat loads of salad to appear healthy, then load up on fattening desserts.

At least half of were women. Men, I understand, but women usually like salad. Unless maybe there is nothing else to eat and that is why they are eating salads.

 

[CharlieD]

So what do you get for making successful party?

You guessed it. You are asked to help with another one.

 

[GotGarlic]

I hope you are getting paid for working these parties, Charlie.

 

[Mad Cook]

Go for a Swedish smörgåsbord.

It a buffet style, will be filling and easy on you.
You have choice of bread,Sweden we use rye bread, crisp bread, white rolls, any thing that is yummy and made out of bread.

Then you have a large collection of sandwich stuffing, like wet salads, vegetables, meatballs, pickled herring, cold cuts, cheese and dressings and then every one makes the sandwich of their dream . it fun, yummy and filling.

We have done the same idea with leba bread, pita bread and tortillas, let every one make their own, but ion this case it was hot dishes instead of cold as it normally is.

The only problem that I can see with this is that unless you determinedly "police" the groups helping themselves you'll have people falling over each other to get to the help-yourself buffet. 200+ people fighting over the buffet is not a pleasant sight!

 

[Addie]

The only problem that I can see with this is that unless you determinedly "police" the groups helping themselves you'll have people falling over each other to get to the help-yourself buffet. 200+ people fighting over the buffet is not a pleasant sight!

When I worked the school PTA ones, we had a mother or father behind each station to help dish out the food. Someone else did the math on how much for each serving. We all pretty much stuck to it. Some would ask for more, and we would give a half more. No complaints. They could always come back for seconds.

 

[Addie]

So what do you get for making successful party?

You guessed it. You are asked to help with another one.

Tell them "No." You have to go out of town that day. Then when you show up for the party, you got a phone call late last night and had to change your plans.

 

[CharlieD]

I wish I knew how to say no. Plus, honestly, I do get satisfaction of making good food, food that people like. Not some prison slap that is usually made. Problem is today i am half asleep at work.

 

[Cheryl J]

Not everyone can blatantly lie so easily though, Addie.

Charlie, once you've had a chance to sleep on it, I'm sure you'll be able to think with a clearer mind. They'll just have to understand and respect your decision to bow out if you feel the need to this time.

 

[Dawgluver]

Charlie, you do so many nice things for so many people. And if it makes you happy, keep on truckin'! It says something about how much people enjoy you and your delicious food.

 

[GotGarlic]

When I worked the school PTA ones, we had a mother or father behind each station to help dish out the food. Someone else did the math on how much for each serving. We all pretty much stuck to it. Some would ask for more, and we would give a half more. No complaints. They could always come back for seconds.

Addie, this was in response to CakePoet's suggestion of a traditional Swedish smorgasbord, which is basically a make-your-own sandwich & relish bar. No one dishes up food - people make their own plates. I don't think it's a good way to handle a 200-person buffet, either.

 

[jd_1138]

If I had to cook for all those people, I'd do a taco buffet. Just cook up the taco meat, and they can assemble their own. Put the shells/tortillas in a warmer, and have containers of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, beans, rice. If steak's in the budget, could do steak tacos.

I can eat Mexican food everyday. Yum.

 

[CharlieD]

Charlie, you do so many nice things for so many people. And if it makes you happy, keep on truckin'! It says something about how much people enjoy you and your delicious food.

Thank you. You are too kind.

People did enjoy the food, if I may say so, food was good. Made me happy. The person I was helping though works very hard, he can never make food taste good. No seasoning, nothing.

Downside. I am still exhausted, even today. 100 people is a lot of work.

 

[Mad Cook]

I wish I knew how to say no. Plus, honestly, I do get satisfaction of making good food, food that people like. Not some prison slap that is usually made. Problem is today i am half asleep at work.

Ask them to pay for your time as well as the ingredients - that usually stops them!

The last time I did a big buffet (149 mixed vegetarians and carnivores) the carnivores complained that the food was "all" for vegetarians and the vegetarians complained that the food was "all" for carnivores!!!!

I declined the next time I was asked by that group.

 

[CharlieD]

Ask them to pay for your time as well as the ingredients - that usually stops them!

The last time I did a big buffet (149 mixed vegetarians and carnivores) the carnivores complained that the food was "all" for vegetarians and the vegetarians complained that the food was "all" for carnivores!!!!

I declined the next time I was asked by that group.

That's just rude on their part.
I had made an event for some women's group once and they did not thank me. They thanked my wife, but she was not the one cooking. And they called me when they needed help, the could have found time to call and say thank you. Next time they called me I said no.

 

[CraigC]

That's just rude on their part.
I had made an event for some women's group once and they did not thank me. They thanked my wife, but she was not the one cooking. And they called me when they needed help, the could have found time to call and say thank you. Next time they called me I said no.

I made an eggplant parm for a luncheon at work once. My boss at the time was vegi. He loved it and told me to tell my mother she was a good cook!

 

[Addie]

Men are chefs, women cook in the home. Hard to break the way folks grow up and their thinking. It's just imbedded in their brain. But we know different.

 

[CharlieD]

Men are chefs, women cook in the home. Hard to break the way folks grow up and their thinking. It's just imbedded in their brain. But we know different.

My wife bakes, not that I don't - I do. But I have to leave something for her to get credit. As she likes to joke "me and Duncan Hines". I don't use mixes, I am not a proficient baker but when I do I bake from scratch, all the boxes is a big joke for me. So when people thank me for baking I tell them it was my wife, when they thank her for cooking she tells them it was me.