Ok, so little bit more details. When people first came in there were two tables with wine and store bought sushi. Salad bar did not go well. It is as if these people have never seen salad bar. We set a big bowl of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, mushrooms, crasins, sliced almonds, bell peppers, 3 different kinds of dressings. And also Russian beet salad, none of that went. People barely touched veggies.
Meat on the other hand flew of the table.
Anytime I cook for a group of people (never as many as that, maybe 1/10 that amount), Im always in the background watching what they eat, what they don't eat, what they take yet leave over on their plate and finds its way to the garbage, whats complimented on, whats not even mentioned....
Last year I wanted to mix things up a bit, as i hate when its the same meal for the same occasion year after year... so i decided to make pierogi fried up with onions. It was a big hit, not one left over, and the compliments kept on coming. This year, same holiday, same group of people, I figured I'd repeat the pierogis since they were such a hit last year, and 3/4 of the tray was untouched... go figure.
Then there was the year my wife spent half a day boiling, pealing, cutting, scooping, stuffing a few dozen eggs to make deviled eggs ( for the first time in years) and the only one who ate them was my mom and my wife. My wife cursed the effort and will never make ( or probably eat) them again.
Its so hard to figure out people, and what they'll be in the mood for at any given time. Sure there are a few slam dunks, but all in all, its always the throw of the dice.
Anyway, I couldn't even imagine or comprehend taking on a challenge that big. I wouldn't know where to start. You did a great job, and its behind you now. Consider it a success , and for the few complainers, the hell with them, there are a few in every crowd. And , for whatever its worth, I would have loved the salad
Well done!!
