How To Plan A Buffet | B&A Warehouse (2024)

FAQs

How do you plan a buffet layout? ›

The first food items on your buffet should be green salads or cold salads, says Smith. "If you are not serving a salad or if you have room-temperature items, like grilled vegetables or fruit platters, these will go next, towards the front," she says.

A good rule of thumb is to plan for 10-15 pieces per person, as people tend to eat more in the absence of a formal meal. This variety allows for a broad range of tastes and dietary requirements.

Divide the total cost of your buffet by the number of covers (paying guests). This will yield the average cost per guest so that you can be sure you are pricing intelligently.

The classic buffet structure is based on the sequence of the dishes: At the very beginning there are plates, cutlery, napkins and bread. Salads and starters are then presented. If soups are also offered, soup plates or soup bowls, spoons and the soups themselves follow. Then the main courses are placed.

Don't waste food: Take only what you can eat and avoid wasting food. Be considerate: Be considerate of other guests and don't hold up the line or hog the famous dishes. Keep the buffet area clean: Dispose of your used plates and utensils properly and keep the place clean for the next person.

Put the cheapest and the food you have the most of at the beginning of the table. Put the most expensive and scarce food at the end of the table. It is a good idea to set it up this way because the food at the beginning of the table typically goes the fastest. Consider switching foods during the course of the buffet.

Guests appreciate it when there is a mix of traditional and more healthy buffet foods on offer. For example, favourites such as chicken wings and scotch eggs, alongside salads and vegetable kebabs. Platters of fruit as well as cakes; waters as well as juices.

How to do a buffet on a budget? ›

The secret to a buffet on a tight budget is to keep within reason and provide something that's not overly but just fitting for the moment. It might be just nice fresh sandwiches and cakes/biscuits is fine – with some additions like sausage rolls and crisps.

Arrange Dishes in Menu Order in a Buffet

Traditionally, cold food is served first, then hot food. But you could also think of it in terms of courses. The beginning of the table is for appetizers, soups, and salads, then the main dishes follow with the desserts near the end or served separately.

– Place plates, cutlery and napkins at the starting point. – The dishes are served at the table in the order in which they are eaten, i.e. starters first, then main courses and finally desserts. Desserts may have their own table, if possible. – Place the cold dishes on the table before the hot dishes.