See How Much Food to Serve and Menu Planning for more helpful information
Food service styles refers to the way professional caterers, restaurateurs and hotel management choose to prepare, present and serve food for their clients.
When you cook for a crowd, you need to make the same choices and your food service style decisions will have an important impact on the success of your event.
Choosing a service style depends on the purpose of the event, where you are serving the crowd, the time of day and your budget. The style of service you choose plays a huge part in menu planning. It is generally best to decide the service style first and plan the menu around the style.
Food Service Styles
Buffets
Buffets are perfect any time of day, for any type of food and for any occasion, whether casual
or formal. Guest select from a variety of dishes and either serve themselves or are served by
volunteers. A buffet-style service is often the simplest way to serve a crowd of 50 or more, but it is not always the least expensive, as commonly believed.
We all imagine buffets to be a generous assortment of foods, an "all you can eat" extravaganza. Nevertheless, you can design the buffet to feature 1-2 entrees offset by numerous low-cost and easy to prepare salads and side dishes.
A simple but ample buffet table should include at least one salad, 1-2 entrees, 2 starches (rice, potato, pasta), 1-2 vegetable dishes, bread/rolls and 1-2 desserts.
Appetizers are optional for any style of service and do not have to be served in abundance if a meal is to follow.
Sit-Down or Seated Service
This service style gives the event a more ceremonial and upscale atmosphere. Seated service allows control of portion sizes and special requests may be easier to handle.
A holiday buffet might call for multiple entrees and desserts, but a sit-down dinner could be limited to one entrée, one side, one vegetable and one dessert.
You might also set-up a combination of styles with appetizers and desserts on a buffet table and entrees served by volunteer/paid servers.
Family-Style Seated Service
In this service style, guests are seated at various tables. Large platters of food, typically entrees and sides are presented by servers to each table.
Typically large platters and serving bowls are prepared in a serving area or in a kitchen and brought to the tables by servers.
All dishes must be kept hot or cold prior to and during service.
Guests serve themselves and pass the dishes or platters to other guests at the table. This is a fun, friendly and cozy family like catering style.
Food Stations
To add spice to a buffet or family style service, add a Carving Station or Action Station. This style of service is impressive, dramatic, impressive and brilliant for a special occasion. stylish without a lot of fuss, food stations allow for portion and traffic control.
Each station can present a different course, or can offer a variety of foods that are best not served on a buffet table. For example, an appetizer bar, salad bar, taco or fajita station, a pasta or stir-fry station, meat carving station or an ice cream sundae station.
Of course you will need a volunteer who is adept at “performing” at their station, such as making omelets or crepes or neatly carving a whole turkey.
Cocktail/Appetizer Party
Perhaps the most relaxed service style and the best way for guests to mingle and socialize. A cocktail party should be considered for singles mixers, fundraisers or business and professional gatherings. Appetizers, canapés and other finger foods are the order of the day.
It may sound simple but preparing hors d’oeuvres can be time-consuming and requires great attention to detail. Here you may want to prepare several items yourself and add several ready-made from the supermarket or specialty store. Some are better than others, so stick to the classic tried and true favorites.
The budget for a cocktail party for 100 or more can go through the roof due to alcohol expenses. Depending on the occasion, you may consider offering a “cash bar”.
See Serving Alcohol
Outdoor Parties
Preparing, cooking and serving for a barbeque or picnic presents different challenges for Kitchen Warriors. Menus can range from the classic array of burgers and hot dogs to crab feasts, clambakes and whole roasted pigs.
Grilling is the norm but food can also be prepared indoors and served outdoors. Buffets, sit-down service and cocktail parties can also take place outdoors. It is best to have a nearby indoor “retreat” in case of weather changes, sun relief or pesky creepy-crawlies.
If necessary, consider hiring a caterer, personal chef or “Grillmaster” who comes equipped with his or her own outsized BBQ grill attached to a truck or trailer.
Potluck Events
Organizing and serving a potluck menu for the event takes most of the labor off a few people and onto many. Meals for large crowds are often potluck. If so, you may or may not choose to design a specific menu but if you leave the decision up to each individual you may end up with too many desserts and not enough entrees.