# How to serve rice for 8 hours.



## 108cheftalk108 (Dec 10, 2011)

I am the food coordinator for an event for new years eve. The Menu mexican food. The event is 8 hours long. Does anyone have any advice on how to serve and hold rice for the whole night?

There is no oven on site. There maybe a access to a rice cooker. There maybe access to a couple of electric burners.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

same food 8 hours, poor menu planning.


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## 108cheftalk108 (Dec 10, 2011)

Yes. Such is the desire of the host and they are paying well so I am trying to roll with it
to. If it was up to me there would be 2 completely separate meals and menus.

Regardless, any help is sincerely appreciated.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

Just because they want the food available for 8 hrs, doesn't mean you have to bring it all at the same time. Rice will hold in Chafing dish real well, but 8 hrs isn't reasonable. I would talk with the client and tell them, to ensure the best quality nothing can be held for 8 hrs without loosing some quality. Put the ball in their court, I never let the client make me look bad.............ChefBillyB


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

i don't know what your set up is like...do you have an off premise catering kitchen that you are bringing the food in from? is it close? how are the rest of the hot items on the menu being held? what is the menu exactly? fajitas? beans? guest count?... chefbillyb is right on about not bringing in all the food all at once.....shroomgirl is the catering maven here so i would take her to heart, whatever her advice. there is such a thing as a cambro ('hot box'), which basically is a big front loading plastic box that you preheat with hot water, has slots to fit full sized hotel pans and food will stay hot for a really long time...really long....the box may keep your hot food hot, but i'm not sure that it keeps it at a 'safe' temperature over a certain amount of time.... 8 hours is too long, so in my opinion you need to change your game plan. you will need to have extra staff to prepare, clean up the prep kitchen and transport the second load, at the client's expense!.....you definately don't want to be responsible for making people sick...that is the bottom line..period...

joey


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## 108cheftalk108 (Dec 10, 2011)

Very good point. Thank you for the advice billy.


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## 108cheftalk108 (Dec 10, 2011)

I think ideally what you said regarding bringing the food in in stages makes perfect sense. Doing the chafing dishes as well. I refuse to get people sick. Period.

There is a kitchen offside and within close distance. I will consider that. We are preping food for 250groups people and beverages for about 320the or so. The menu looks like this:

Appetizer: Guajillo spiced Mushroom Quesadillas, Corn Chips with Green Salsa, Pico De Gallo and Chile De Arbol hot sauce

Entree: Traditional Spanish Rice, Refried Beans, Corn Salad, and Chilpotle Enchildas or Vegan Tamales

Dessert: Arroz con Leche or Flan

Drinks: Agua de Jamaica(Hibiscus Water) and Horchata


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

equally as important, how are you keeping the cold foods cold?...as a reminder, you can use igloo type chest coolers to either keep cold foods cold or hot foods hot....both are time sensitive..... the 'hot box' i mentioned before can also be used to hold cold foods.....

you said you were the food coordinator...where is the chef in all this? what is their take? rice and beans are two foods that always come under suspicion from health inspectors...people think that because it's just rice and beans and not meat that it's somehow safer. nope.....also, it may surprise you that iced tea as well. you've got lots of potentially hazardous foods on that menu, all of it actually with the exception of the corn chips, hot sauce and drinks.

joey


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Same food available for 8 hours, even same menu.....means having enough staff to heat more when needed in nearby kitchen.   Even with cambros that is way too long for food to be warm....opening and shutting the cambro.....

108 whomever on your staff is serve safe certified should come up with a time chart and serving timeline.....or there's huge potential food poisoning with the 8 hours of constant food offsite.....

Up to professionals to guide clients....does not matter what they are paying, writing menus with safety in mind is bottom line.


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