# Extreme 1600 Person Catering, the Conclusion!



## bbally (Jan 2, 2005)

Left off yesterday with the building of the fruit salads. I also had to put slaw out for 1600 people. Since no ready made product exists that can take the place of hand made slaw... it is on me to make it up.




























While I am prepping the salads and Zane is working on the final touches of all the Q.... the service crew arrives... it will be led by CSU Senior Jessica Peel and her fellow CSU band members. Jessica has worked for me since she was in High School.... it is so nice to come 300 miles from home and have someone that has worked for me within 25 miles to put together the service crew. Plus all those years she has learned to decorate and set linens.



















Don and Zane get in a little seat time while the crew finishes the set.














































This is our Sunday bar... the CSU band set up and served over 80 gallons of hand dipped ice cream to all the attendees! That is serious ice cream consumed.










While that is going on I need to run the smoked sausage out of the cooker and across the grill, then slice it up for service! I leave it in foil pans and take it out a few at a time and grill mark it, then cambro the stuff to keep it piping hot!
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Finally we come to service time... 11 AM the gates opened and all were welcome for free! What a party.














































Now the brisket, pulled pork and sausage was consumed hot and heavy for 5 hours straight out... not one break! It was great but what we were able to do at the end of the day was much much more rewarding. We came armed for bear since the whole town was invited... so we could have fed 2200 without much trouble, what to do with the left overs? First we stuffed the college students cars with all they felt they could use at the campus. But I still have about 200 pounds of food left..... so I call my daughter at Fort Lewis College in Durango Colorado and ask her to find me a homeless shelter to donate the rest of this to, we routinely donate to our local soup kitchen.... but I am not carrying cooked food 300 miles.. to many temperature problems. So my daughter calls back and say she found a place!
This is the OUR facility in Longmont Colorado a truly worthy cause and definitely people whom welcomed the 200 pounds of barbeque and assorted sides.



















And the center director called the executive chef to explain the donation.... that news brought Chef Debbie down to the kitchen to help break it down and get it stored for use!



















And that my friends is how I never have leftovers.... and all our food goes to good use either paid for or to help those whom need a little extra help to stay alive!
I hope you have enjoyed our two days in Erie Colorado... we did! And I hope each of you will commit to helping a soup kitchen... many remember them at the holidays, but the destitute an down on their luck need to eat all year, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas!
'til we speak again.... chose to make a difference locally, no matter what locale you find yourself in!

Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Great photos

Bob, have you ever cooked whole critters (pigs) on your big rig grills?
What was your experience if so.....


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## bbally (Jan 2, 2005)

Yes I can do 6 at a time in the 750 and 8 in the 1200 series smoker. They come out nice... I like the color it puts on them. I did this luau for Brandi Fisher when she got married.










They make a nice presentation and become a focal point for the events food.


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## just jim (Oct 18, 2007)

Color me impressed.
I loved the photo walk through too.

Now go take a nap.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Meh, catering. It's a walk in the park, not like a real restaurant, anyone can do it....

Uh...You know I am kidding, right?

Quite an impressive show of organization! Never done one larger than 800, be scared cra*less to do anything larger anyway. Nice stuff


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## bbally (Jan 2, 2005)

Actually I do think resto work is harder. I see them once in a while... many restos see them every week. I make it the way I want to..... in a resto they expect it the same as they had last month.... that scares me.

Scared me enough to close our resto part, we lasted three years before just going back to catering.

Though I still love an open kitchen, hence my addiction to cooking live at the events.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Good Job!
Nice to see creativity and organization at work.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

And generally restaurants have set hours that you gotta show up....day after day after day.......making the same shtuff....over and over and over.....


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

Before every catering, I would always say, never again. At the end of every catering I would always say, can't wait untill the next catering............. The hardest job you will ever love....................Bill


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