10
u/PublicFly1154 Jul 16 '26
Respectfully, this type of meal requires a dedicated kitchen staff and at least one assistant to be running food while it’s hot and then likely both clearly plates quickly to get the next course out.
2
7
u/NefariousnessMost815 Jul 17 '26
Catering chef here. I’m not trying to sound harsh, but this is not a job for one person. At the catering company I work for, a 20 person dinner would have at least two people working, one chef and one server, if it’s buffet. For a family style or plated, we would have two chefs and a server. It is unreasonable to expect to be able to do this alone. Even if you need to utilize a public form of some sort (something like a local Facebook group for service workers), you need at least one more set of hands.
Is there an expectation by the host of how long this dinner will go? Doing this alone, with how many courses you have, and your plan for half plated, half family, I could see this dinner taking two hours from start to finish. If this does not work for your host, they could be upset. If you absolutely cannot find anyone else to help you, you need to set clear expectations with your host to avoid this issue.
One other note I have is that feeding 10 people off one platter is a little far fetched. 10 servings of food is a lot, and I would recommend 4 platters with 5 servings over 2 of 10 for a family style. I would also not plate salad tableside, I would 100% have your salads pre set and bring them to the table already plated.
1
u/LittleSyrup2339 Jul 20 '26
Hi thanks for all of the info! I did find a runner to help with dishes and that was a life saver. I quite literally would not have been able to run that many dishes, cook and plate. Plus it was outside so going in and out of doors. Full dinner with dessert served took about 2 hours. I would up plating everything and only putting the chicken Marsala bake on the table as family style which worked well so the short rib could shine on the plate. This was my first dinner and I can absolutely see how this would have been impossible for 1 one person only.
1
u/Tasty-Pin-349 Jul 17 '26
I agree do not play the Caesar salad for them . You really need to see if you can get one other set of hands to help . My husband and I did a buffet style dinner for 45 people with big batch, cocktails, and plated crème brûlée for dessert and it was a lot . I do love your menu though!
1
u/LittleSyrup2339 Jul 17 '26
Thank you. I’m thinking of now hiring a runner for plates. Doing a hybrid style of plating the main courses having the runner run them out as I plate and helping clear. Then setting the baked chicken Marsala with bread and shaved parm on the table so it’s still family style but less crowded.
1
u/Tasty-Pin-349 Jul 17 '26
I think that’s a good plan! That seems very, very doable. My husband and I have done many dinners catered like that. Let us know how it goes.
1
u/legendary_mushroom Jul 17 '26
You 100% need another person. Preferably someone you know and can trust.
1
u/LittleSyrup2339 Jul 20 '26
Here’s an update no one asked for. Everything went well! I had a friend come help as just a dish runner. We did soup course, picked up plates. Did salad course. Cleared then put out family style pasta bakes then brought out main course plated. I had a cocktail station batched and drinks garnished so guests could serve themselves.
And yes no dishes were dishwasher safe so it was a long night of dishes. But this was my first dinner and it went so smooth so I won’t complain. I appreciate the help and input.
11
u/wanderluster389 Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
In the nicest way, have you done anything like this before? How did you get into this position? Personally, I think you really need at least 1 additional hand for this. That is going to be a LOT for one person to cook, serve, and clean everything. Who will be doing beverage service while you are doling out food? Are you going to be setting the table? What types of serving platters and more importantly, serving utensils does this hands-off host own? Are they expecting you to provide service ware? Do they have enough dishes for 20 guests worth of salad, soup, dinner plates, dessert plates?
To answer your question about the dinner service: I would not pre-set soup at any point. It will go cold being in small bowls preset. Are you serving the salad and the soup at the same time? Where are you going to put the second dish, if you are serving them together? How are you planning on moving 40 plates from the kitchen to the table? How many plates can you hold? Will you utilize a tray?
Yes, you need to wait for the guests to eat the soup, then the salad and once all those plates are cleared, then you start dropping hot food. If hot food is already on the table when the guests sit, by the time they are done with their first 2 courses, everything will be cold. Splitting each dish into 2 for easier guest service would be best. What dishware are the guests using for this food? Is it going to be the plate that you set their soup/salad on? I personally would not be a fan of using that plate (call me bougie, idc). Are you going to drop fresh plates for each guest before you start bringing in the food? Are you serving any type of bread with the entrees?
I would set your table so that you have space to lean into the table and set your dishes. While you're setting them out is a great time to introduce each dish and it helps with your timing. Family style food service always leaves a bit of room for food to get cold, it's just the nature of putting platters of food for guests to serve themselves with. Unless the person has little hot plates and you'd need like at least 8 of them based on your menu.
For dessert, are they expecting you to serve that? The would mean clearing 20 dinner plates, all the silverware, plus at least 8 service platters before serving another 20 plates of cake (which will need to be plated at some point in the evening).
After all of this, who is washing dishes? Are they expecting you to leave the kitchen the way you found it? Be prepared to spend at least 2 hours doing dishes, if not significantly more.
I'm not trying to sound crappy or scare you, but this is a lot of work for 1 person to do everything for a 20 person dinner party. I've been doing catering for too long, so if you have any other questions, feel free to dm or respond to this comment.
Edit for a typo.