# Catering job for 700 people



## philliesdad2 (Sep 8, 2014)

Hello Folks,

I have been doing drop off catering for a little while now, but was just asked to cater a halloween party for 700 people, the person running the party will be absorbing the food cost, i'm mainly doing this to see If I can.

There will be a professional kitchen on site, he will supply the help to assist me in the prepping, cooking and serving, I'm just looking at what your suggestions would be on raw product, the menu he asked for is:

roast beef sandwiches

meatballs and sauce for either sandwiches or plated

40 lbs of potato salad and coleslaw 

The recipes I'm good with as well as the condiments, I guess I only need help in determining how much raw beef and what cut would yield the most.

I have a restaurant depot local to me.

Any help friends would be greatly appreciated!

New to this, please be helpful, trial by fire I guess!


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

Welcome in.

I've catered for 700, no reason you cant pull it off, especially with a commissary at your disposal.....

If you're prepping cooking and slicing your own beef, get a roast, and I would figure 10 to 12 sandwiches per pound.

Apx a quarter pound in meatballs per person since theyre going to be pre-portioned....

You didn't specify if you meant 40lbs each on salads or total, but either way I don't see 40 lbs of potato

salad as near enough for 700 people. 4 or 5 servings per pound, unless you're gonna do some "soup-kitchen" 

portioning. Otherwise you'll prob get about 200 people served with 40 pounds.


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## philliesdad2 (Sep 8, 2014)

Thanks for your reply, I agree with you on the salads, forty pounds each of potato and coleslaw will not be enough, but this is a long tenured event that I am cooking for , for the first time. The organizer said the salads and slaw does not usually go so he only uses 40 lbs. ( they didnt taste mine  )

The 10-12 lbs per person, was that pre cooked?

Thanks again!


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Meezenplaz said:


> and I would figure 10 to 12 sandwiches per pound.





> Originally Posted by *philliesdad2*
> 
> The 10-12 lbs per person, was that pre cooked?


I am not sure that you guys are on the same page. My recommendation would be a top or bottom round. Yield should be about 12 ounces of cooked meat per pound of uncooked, so basically if you want to do a 4 ounce portion figure on 3 sandwiches per pound of raw.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

> I am not sure that you guys are on the same page.


I'd consider that a fair assessment, since I did say 10-12 sandwiches per pound, not 10-12 pounds per person. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif 

But understand, that was a rough guess based on minimal info, didnt know how big, what type of bread, 

nor what else if anything would be on them, or just the beef. So I'll amend my advice to say if their on say 

a grinder roll, Philly's Style, and ready stuffed with meaty goodness and nothing else, then yes, about 

1/4 to 1/3 lb per sandwich, or 3 to 4 peoples per pound. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

That's cooked meat, as you mentioned Chef-L.....OP add 25% ....ish, to get your raw slab figure.

So that's backwards and forwards, hopefully that helps.


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## philliesdad2 (Sep 8, 2014)

My fault...I read the reply wrong! I'm straight now Thanks for taking the time to help.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

> My fault...I read the reply wrong!


I pretty much figgered that.

Although at 10-12 lbs per head at least you wouldn't run out. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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