Cooking for 300 Spartans (who have finals coming up)

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

TeonW

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 29, 2008
Messages
28
Location
Frostburg MD/Baltimore City
Ok So I'm like the resident chef on my floor, and The Resident Advisors have just came to me with something that I was sooo wanting to do (though maybe not on such a big scale ^.^ ) and that is to plan and creater thanksgiving for our entire dorm! I've chosen my assistants (basically anyone who knows how to follow the directions on a ramen pack and not burn the noodles (I was amazed btw at how many women fit did not into this catagory) basically theres 360 people in the building, I'm guessing we'll be feeding either roughly 200-250 or maybe as high as 400! (I would love if there is 400!) and the RA has kinda given me free reign to set it up as I please. So here's my ideas:

1. We do like an Iron Chefu! and have each floor prepare a meal, I'll research 12 recipes on various dishes (I'm thinkin 6 different styles of turkey maybe 2 Roasts and a vegetarian dish (though, help me out here, I have no idea of a vegitarian main dish, maybe like a tofu meatloaf?) that way people kinda have a choice as to what the want to cook. (I'm also working with the Health center so I can get the allergy information and plan accordingly. ^.^ In this case I would be looking for relatively simple dishes, with a large difference in both flavor and texture.

Pros: Promotes friendly competition; allows for a variety of dishes that can satisfy many different tastes; easy to see food/mouth ratio;

Cons: will take an extraordinary amount of time to plan, with marinades and such; requires a lot of trust in others abilities to follow recipe's; increased risks of mishaps in the kitchen; may be a lack of attention on other Thanksgiving components.


(I was also thinking about imposing a time limit during the cook and/or prep, just to be sure that ppeople stay within the cooking time)

2. The second Idea is to just split them into the 6 different kitchens and have each of them prepare part of the meal. I think this way will consolidate most of the necessary ingredients. I haven't really gave this way some thought becausse the Iron Chef Idea sounds so awesome! but any other ideas wil be wonderful. I have about 4 other people with recent cooking experience and 1 with a lot of experience, so It shouldn't be very hard to delegate.

This is a pretty awesome oppurtunity to get some good experience, especilally with managing that many people (And 6 kitchens!!)I really hope I can pull it off! any Recipe's that you guys can provide will greatly help cause I don''t want to get recipe's that'll be hard or difficult to follow. Thanks oh so very much in advance, and wish me luck! ^.^
 
Well, Teon, here are my thoughts and personal opinions:

If I were in the dorm, I would prefer to participate in a cooperative, rather than competitive, effort to prepare a wonderful, relaxing meal.

Let them take a break from the stress of finals, and just enjoy each other and the food.

I'd go with your second idea, and have each kitchen prepare different things: some great canapes/appetizers, salads, a couple of different turkeys with gravy and with dressings, maybe a couple of hams with different glazes, a vegetarian lasagna and/or other pasta casseroles, a bunch of side dishes, desserts, natch. Or maybe divide up the courses, but let each kitchen make a dessert or two.

I would give each kitchen a category (unless you want to draw them out of a hat), and tell them how many people they should plan on feeding, then let them decide on the recipes.

Cudos to you for accepting this challenge!

Lee
 
I agree.. do a cooperative meal. Divide the courses up.. or combine floors for fewer courses. 300 is a lot of people, it takes hands to do the cooking.

3 groups do the protein(Turkey, Turducken, ham.. ham stuffed turkey, roast game hens instead of turkey, etc.), 2 groups on side dishes(noodles, cous cous, Risottos, sweet potato dishes, regular potato dishes, green veggy dishes, maybe some eggplant dishes for the vegetarians...etc, 1 group does the deserts. Deserts are the most limited. They will have to be fairly simple unless they are trained pastry chefs etc. Pecan pie, pumkin pie, chocolate pecan pie, persimmon pudding, apple crisp,etc....
 
I'm trying to find Ideas for recipe's I'm thinking we'll need roughly 100 pounds of Turkey...maybe. I talked to a friend and she was telling me how they just basically boughta whole bunch of store bought desserts, but to me, I think it'll be more fun to make a few from scratch! I mean, who doesn't like to play in flour?! as long as it's simple I don't think It'll be a problem, I mean, there's a lot of reat aforementioned pies and/or cakes that can be made. But As for side dishes, what do you guys think? I want to do things that are simple, but I don't want to limit the options as far as dishes are concerned. and we mustn't forget the vegetarians! oh... and turkeys... turkeys...
 
Back
Top Bottom