When do you seat guests at the table?
- Thread starter Chopstix
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ChefJune
Master Chef
Unless you are serving buffet style, the people should precede the food for exactly the reason you mentioned. Place cards at the table will facilitate getting everyone to take their seats.
OTOH, if you're serving buffet style, make sure all the food is out before you call your guests to fill their plates to avoid unduly long lines.
Hope this helps!
OTOH, if you're serving buffet style, make sure all the food is out before you call your guests to fill their plates to avoid unduly long lines.
Hope this helps!
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
Guests should always be comfortably seated before presenting the food. Personally, I prefer to plate in the kitchen rather than serve home style, but either option is fine.
auntdot
Head Chef
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2004
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- 2,418
To us the guests should always be seated before the meal is served.
Not just for the practical reason that the food will get cold but it gives a few minutes during which the folks can interact. By doing that I feel they form a bond, no matter how temporary, and it makes the meal more fun.
To plate or not, a difficult question.
We prefer not to plate, unless the meal is lobster or for some other reason the food requires it.
As hosts, we have chosen the menu.
The guests have no choice if we plate it.
Aunt Jane may be on a diet and Uncle Jeff may not eat mushrooms.
I do not want my guests to be in the awkward position of having to leave uneaten food because they do not want it, for any reason.
And so I usually serve family style.
Just my preference.
Not just for the practical reason that the food will get cold but it gives a few minutes during which the folks can interact. By doing that I feel they form a bond, no matter how temporary, and it makes the meal more fun.
To plate or not, a difficult question.
We prefer not to plate, unless the meal is lobster or for some other reason the food requires it.
As hosts, we have chosen the menu.
The guests have no choice if we plate it.
Aunt Jane may be on a diet and Uncle Jeff may not eat mushrooms.
I do not want my guests to be in the awkward position of having to leave uneaten food because they do not want it, for any reason.
And so I usually serve family style.
Just my preference.
Plating depends on what I am serving and how formal it is, I have to say my preference for a small group, 8 or under, is certainly not to, as the food always promotes conversation as people serve themselves/are served and I have bought so much pretty serving ware that I like to show it off, lol.
Yes, seat people first, definitely..so they settle. I remember giglgling rudely but pretty much uncontrolably, partly with nerves, at a dinner party where we started with borsch, as everyone sat down trying not to disturb the bowls of pure dye onto the table or the carpet below....inevitably somebody failed....women need time to find somewhere to stow their handbags if they have brought them to the table, (why are so women afraid to leave their purses/bags on friends'sofas?) and its awkward to be one of the first seated oer a tempting plate of even cold food if some people are taking ages to get seated!
Yes, seat people first, definitely..so they settle. I remember giglgling rudely but pretty much uncontrolably, partly with nerves, at a dinner party where we started with borsch, as everyone sat down trying not to disturb the bowls of pure dye onto the table or the carpet below....inevitably somebody failed....women need time to find somewhere to stow their handbags if they have brought them to the table, (why are so women afraid to leave their purses/bags on friends'sofas?) and its awkward to be one of the first seated oer a tempting plate of even cold food if some people are taking ages to get seated!
ironchef
Executive Chef
For family dinners I usually always do family style for the same reasons that Aunt Dot mentioned. Because they're not in the restaurant, they don't know exactly what they're getting and I don't know how much each person will eat of which item so I just let them serve themselves.
mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
If you are eating at my house you are family, so you will eat family style. I might bring out dessert already plated if you eat all your green beans.
My guests and my food seem to make it to the table at the same time. We never do really formal dinners though. The guests are always good friends and as mudbug said " if you are eating at my house you are family"...so get in here and help carry things to the table.
Loprraine
Executive Chef
If it's formal, they'll all be seated first. Summertime, outside, it's big bowls on the table. Inside, winter, it's still big bowls on the table. Or, we may help ourselves in the kitchen, then go into the dining room.
I normally serve family style too. A couple years ago I used to plate individually, I think mainly because I liked the art of plating and also because I didn't have enough serving platters at the time. In the end I've decided that plating is just too much work and now I do it if it's just for 3 pax at the most. Besides, no offense to anybody but nowadays I just find plating at home just a tad 'pretentious' (-- but this is just me).
I normally serve family style too. A couple years ago I used to plate individually, I think mainly because I liked the art of plating and also because I didn't have enough serving platters at the time. In the end I've decided that plating is just too much work and now I do it if it's just for 3 pax at the most. Besides, no offense to anybody but nowadays I just find plating at home just a tad 'pretentious' (-- but this is just me).
Lynan
Sous Chef
Family style for me too unless the main course is an over the top kinda expensive dish. I say this as most Kiwi blokes are notorious meat and seafood eaters. And thats wonderful. But....2 crayfish on a plate is TOTALLY over the top.
Still, we are talking Kiwi blokes, and rugby players too ( well often, and local ones) so Im carrying on!
When it comes to a Barbie, those boys can go at it with a vengeance and my blessings. lolol I just stand back...watch...and admire.
I mean to say, what is a girl to do after all??!
I say this as most Kiwi blokes are notorious meat and seafood eaters. And thats wonderful. But....2 crayfish on a plate is TOTALLY over the top.Still, we are talking Kiwi blokes, and rugby players too ( well often, and local ones) so Im carrying on!
When it comes to a Barbie, those boys can go at it with a vengeance and my blessings. lolol I just stand back...watch...and admire.
I mean to say, what is a girl to do after all??!
licia
Executive Chef
guests are always good friends and as mudbug said " if you are eating at my house you are family"...
I almost always serve buffet and for the same reason as others - I have no idea if everyone likes everything and I don't want them to feel like they have to try everything. If it is just my grandchildren with us, I fix their plates, but ask them about things I'm not sure of. They are usually up for most anything.
I almost always serve buffet and for the same reason as others - I have no idea if everyone likes everything and I don't want them to feel like they have to try everything. If it is just my grandchildren with us, I fix their plates, but ask them about things I'm not sure of. They are usually up for most anything.
Sephora
Washing Up
In our house it's always been each person grabs a bowl and brings it with them and then we serve family style. I've never done formal because I'm just too casual a person to pull it off.
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