Putting It All Together,..Entertaining,..Sensibly and Simply

Wow, you're right, it is overwhelming! My housemates have dinner parties quite often. I've joined in, but mostly it's one housemate who does most of the cooking. She loves to cook. I make sides and do clean up. Usually we ask the guests to bring wine and beer (we always have left over alcohol). I've never thrown a dinner party by myself.

Hi LittleK, yes it can seem like a daunting task, but you can make it as easy as possible.

On the food end of it, a good thing to do is to take your menu, break it down to individual components,...make a "Prep List". List each recipe as it's own heading, under each heading list the tasks for each dish,.ie:
Tomato Sauce
1. chop onions
2. saute onions,...etc.
It makes things clearer, and is quite motivational to cross things off of the list as you finish them!

Get all of the recipes together, measure and process all of your ingredients before actually making the dish. This can save time, plus let's say 3 recipes call for chopped garlic, and two call for chopped onion,...it makes more sense to chop all of the garlic at once, and all of the onion at once,...it saves time and clean up!!

Alot of desserts freeze very well. As a matter of fact some cakes benefit from a few days in the deep freeze, thawing as a moister cake than when it went in.

Things like cakes, pies, quiche, pastries can all be made the week before, kept in your freezer and taken out the night before, or the morning of the party.


I also want to keep this thread open to all aspects of entertaining, like right now I am planning my parents 50th wedding anniversary, that'll be in a hall, and done by the hall's caterer.

GAsp! Another caterer????

Yep littlek, another caterer.

The hall we picked, required the use of their in-house caterer. The hall is a place my parents and their friends have done alot in over the years, so it seemed right for the occasion, plus they all know where it is and there's tons of parking. It will allow me to concentrate on the details that can make the party special,..the flowers, making the video photo album, a memory book (we sent blank pages with all of the invites), favors and I'll be doing the cake,..it's 150+ people, so there are PLENTY of other things to keep me busy, plus I'll be able to relax and enjoy the party when the day arrives.

While searching for party favors, I came accross this site. They sell those foil wrapped, English party "crackers". You know, the ones with the little hat, bubbles, candy and stuff inside of them.

Old English Crackers


They also sell them "ready to fill", so that's what I've ordered, so we can make the candy, and fill the crackers with that, a little gift and an anniversary message. They'll make the tables look nicer, and add a touch of whimsy to the whole thing. They were pretty inexpensive. If I had the time, they also sell the components to make them yourself,...really cheap!

I tend to plan parties using the KISS rule: Keep It Simple Stupid. I seldom plan a sit-down dinner as I find a buffet is easier for me to plan and execute especially if I'm doing most of the work by myself. Also, plan dishes that freeze well, either so you can make them in the weeks or days before the party or pop them in the freezer afterward (too many leftovers go to waist, um, waste). My biggest secret: know when to make it yourself and when to buy it premade. Sometimes I "just can't seem to find that recipe right now."

Grrrr...Jerry, in-house caterers are the bane of my existence...don't get me started...don't know what it is like in Boston, but when planning corporate functions in Toronto, finding a properly outfitted venue that takes 'outside' caterers is a nightmare.

Cav- it's pretty much the same here in Boston,.it can be a real pain!

Man, I had more to say,..but exhaustion is catching up with me.
I'll be back tomorrow!

Well Jerry, if you ever need a venue in Toronto, the only one I really like dealing with is the Mielehaus Showroom...it's Miele, so the equipment is top of the line...and they simply rent out the space to anyone who wants it. There is a fantastic show kitchen, and a conference room. The only drawback is that 35 is pretty much the maximum capacity. I have done events for Pfizer and AT&T there and it's been great.

Hi Cav,

Thanks for the tip on Toronto!

I have a few choice places here in Boston, unfortunately not very many of them have well-equipped kitchens. A couple of the mansions do, I like using them. I also have developed relationships with Boston Ballet and use their grand studio alot,..beautiful rooms, great view of the city, but complete set up and breakdown every time.
I think that my favorite would be the Aquarium, except it ALWAYS smells like the aquarium.
Some of the museums work well too, but their hours are restrictive.

Most of the events I do offsite are for 200-300 people, and are really high-end, so the venues are very important. I prefer doing the smaller parties, 30-70 people, in a home. I think it makes people feel really good about their house when they see it transformed into an elegant party.

Dang Jerry, I want your client list I work mainly in private homes. My passion is for the 2-20 sit down dinner crowd in-home, but the larger functions are my bread and butter. Nobody here is really doing the small parties, so it is a niche market, but it is growing. Hey, at the aquariaum, I suppose you could stick with fish

Actually Cav, I have a couple of clients I'd love to give ya,..but I'm afraid you'd never speak to me again if I did!

Royal Pains in my keester!!
You know the type,..penny wise, pound foolish.
"What do you mean, WE have to pay for EACH server. Well, we think you only need three waiters to serve 300 people"

Always makes me laugh, they want to serve Caviar and Champagne, and pay for a keg of Bud and some pizza!

BTW, I have served fish in the Aquarium, got some sick pleasure from serving sashimi in front of some of its friends.

I love to hear how you pros do it!

Although I've been cooking dinners, etc. for friends since I was 13 (yes, I've told that enough times), it's always interesting to refine techniques and planning ideas, as well as exchanging receipes.

Biggest events that I've catered are a picnic for about 40, buffets or canapes for 20-30 and sit-down dinners of up to 20.

The key (for me) is to estimate realistic quantities of food an alchohol for the crowd and not go completely OTT - it always looks great to have some left over, but it's no good if it's 70% of what you cooked (I find that it's always the green salad that gets left at buffets!).

Lol, Jerry, should just add service in as a 'hidden cost'...or, let them go with only 3 servers (as an example)....sometimes I just wanna do that for revenge Hey, did the fish in the aquarium go crazy from the sashimi? Once I did a gig with some smoked salmon...opened it up and their goldfish started doing laps around the bowl....freaked me out a bit

Hey kitchenpete...most of my work is plated dinners, so it comes down to individual portions. However, it is going to be BBQ season soon....I usually allow 1 1/2-2 sandwiches per person, plus side dishes. So, when presenting a selection of BBQ items, I do the math and divide it up between the selections, and take an educated guess as to what will be more popular. Burgers and chicken I have found are more popular than hot dogs or fish. For green salads, I generally estimate 50 grams per person, bean or potato salads, about 200 grams, as they are more dense. Vegetable or pasta salads, 150 grams. For canapes, I generally suggest 4-5 per person, if dinner is also served, 8-10 if it is only canapes. For wines, 1/2 bottle per person is suggested, but that assumes you will get 6 4-oz. glasses per bottle. I have found that assuming 4 glasses per bottle is a better estimate. For buffets, with the meat course, whatever it is, 6 oz. portions are generally ample, as there is generally so much other stuff to eat as well. Hope that helps out for your next function!

Jerry, should tell you the story of one client and her husband who were high-profile...secured not 1 but 2 registered sommeliers to do wine and service for them. After a 6 1/2 hour shift, including the cleaning, of course, she asked them to set up the kitchen table for their kids breakfast the next morning. Then she tips them in cash. Next day, I get an e-mail saying she was drunk and accidentally tipped them 'too much'. Then she says she won't ask for any money back, but 'they should have known' they were overtipped, and said something at the time. These are the kind of people I hope never call me again.

Hi all!!

TerryDoo!!!,..Yeah simple is the way to go. Buffets are a great way to save time, and can be alot more fun, as they encourage mingling.
When I do my own parties, if it's a seated dinner for friends I like to serve everything family style, I think it's alot more fun...maybe it just reminds me of some great celebrations growing up. And, Yes, there are some great prepared foods out there,..and there's nothing wrong with saving a little time sometimes.

KitchenPete- Parties for 40??,, that's alot, puts you in the "pro" category as far as I'm concerned! :wink:
Planning amounts of food can seem difficult,..but I think it's easier if you know the people you're serving,..with friends at least I know what they like. The proportions Cav mentioned, are great. I also think that they are guidelines, and that the best judgement comes with the more parties you do.

Cav- When I was managing restaurants I would occasionally have guests call the next day, thinking that they had over-tipped,.ASKING FOR REFUNDS!! Can you imagine the thought process that would make you think that was OK??,..I can't.
Most of my clients know me, and just accept my judgement as far as the amount of servers I need,..but there are always the exceptions!

I have just been dead-honest with them, and at times have said "Maybe you should hire another caterer?",..They always back down, then end up thinking I'm their best friend,...weirdos!

Hey Jerry! I was thinking about you tonight. Is the big soiree this weekend or next?