# Appetizer Reception for 600



## lentil (Sep 8, 2003)

I've got an event for 600 (probably fewer) in April.  It's an awards banquet at a university where I often cater.  Obviously, there will be a lot of young people there and it takes place from 6-9 so people will be hungry.  Here is my tentative menu.  I've presented it to them, but there's time to make changes.  We're planning on 6-7 stations.

1.  Beverages- crocks of ice tea, lemonade, punch and bottled water

2.  Fruit, 4 cheeses and brie, and crackers

3. Hot station- meatballs, sausages, wings, stuffed mushrooms

4.  Cold-hummus, salsa, 3 other dips with crostini and veggies, mozzarella and tomato pics, greek salad pics with feta, black olive, tomato, cuke

5.  Asian- peanut noodles, chicken satay skewers, nori rolls, skewers of ham and pineapple displayed on whole pineapples (I'm figuring out how to do this.  any suggestions?)  This station will also have 6 butane burners for stir fry.  I'm thinking moo shu pancakes, shredded cabbage, carrots, onion with chicken or tofu add- ins.

6.  sandwich station- crocks of tuna, chix sal, tofu sal, egg sal, tomatoes, lettuce, and assorted rolls

7.  Desserts

There is no kitchen so I've rented a refer truck where I'll have platters made up and ready to replace. I'll have to have a couple of staff out there to hand off the platters to the servers as I don't think I want to leave the truck open or deal with unlocking it every few minutes. They've set aside a conference room for prep, so it's possible I'll have enough room and won't have to leave someone with the truck, although, there's NEVER enough room!

I'm figuring high as the group is young and is probably half male, but do you think 12 pcs per person is enough/too much?  Should I figure higher on the hot food (the "guy" station)?  Am I stupid to add the stirfry station?  My feeling about this is that it's different and not often seen around here.  Two people could man it.  Should the chicken be precooked so it's just tossed in the frying veggies to save time?

I"m open to any and all suggestions.  As always....

thanks in advance!


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

lentil said:


> I've got an event for 600 (probably fewer) in April. It's an awards banquet at a university where I often cater. Obviously, there will be a lot of young people there and it takes place from 6-9 so people will be hungry. Here is my tentative menu. I've presented it to them, but there's time to make changes. We're planning on 6-7 stations.
> 
> 1. Beverages- crocks of ice tea, lemonade, punch and bottled water
> 
> ...


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## lentil (Sep 8, 2003)

"6-9, dinner time, free food....oh yeah you are going to be hit hard.

"April, New Hampshire.....is it warm yet?"

6-9, dinner time, free food....you forgot college students!  So 12pcs pp aren't going to be enough?"

warm in NH in April?....Well, here's how I figure it.  If it's an indoor event, it will be absolutely beautiful outside.  If I'm at an outdoor event, it will snow a foot, have gale force winds, or we'll have torrential rain storms- maybe all 3. That's just how things work for me.  It should be in theh 50's during the day, but still pretty cool at night- in the 30's.

I'm heading out for the afternoon, but will check out the pictures when I get back.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

You've got an awful lot of different foods....that was the first thing that came to mind.....


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## lentil (Sep 8, 2003)

Yeah, but with 600 people, I thought it would be better to have more choices.  I'll look at it again and maybe rethink some of the labor intensive picky things.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Also think about people having to assemble sandwiches, foods that won't have a long shelf life....which may not be an issue with your retail operation......it's eaten my lunch a few times.

It's been a long time since I've done one but a mash potato bar would be a super option for this group.....may be a lucrative option for you too.


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## lentil (Sep 8, 2003)

I've done a mp bar for a wedding.  How do you do your and what do you serve?  Sounds like it might work.  Cheap and cheerful as my British friend likes to say!


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Staff scooping tatos, guests putting on toppings......toppings can be as easy or intensive as the event warrants.  for this size group I'd have multiple lines of toppings....and really not load it down with many hot options.


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