"Ethnic" Menu for wedding hall

[apgchefdave]

Hey Guys + Gals,

I'm working as a banquet chef at a wedding facility here in Charlotte, NC. I'm working on adding some new ideas to the menu. I am wondering if you think this is a good idea or not.

my thought is to create pre-determined menus based on different cuisines. I want to take the thinking out of the menu for the brides really. I guess my thought process is, if I simplify things for them by telling them what pairs well with each other, they wont be randomly guessing or putting things together that just dont work. Maybe I am thinking like a chef here, and shouldnt worry that they want a honey ginger chicken with ranch mashed potatoes. It just makes me scratch my head when I see these menu choices come to me.

I plan to still give them some control by having a couple of options from them to pick from, but I want to have it organized so that when they say, "oh i love italian food", i can say "great, we have a fantastic italian buffet menu already set up. just make 3 choices and you're set".

am i over thinking this???

 

[kuan]

I would.  It does a few things.  It's first of all a good exercise.  It also gives you a starting point with clients and allows for more focused interaction.  Don't set it in stone though.  It's a wedding menu and your clients need to treated as if they were special on their special day.

 

[chefedb]

If you are an on premise banquet hall, have menus already made up as you say. Make standard menus but do not go to far,so to speak .Make them appeal to all ethnic groups, which means if  a buffet ,then have foods from all over, or International.

     Sit downs give a choice of 2 or 3 entree's. On premise can usually use anything that is left. where as off premise does not.

      If you have Italian Brides and grooms and you do all Italian, They COMPARE YOUR  food to GRANDMAS, or what they make.  Yours right off the bat won't be as good.. I have found that this comparison thing applies  to all ethnic groups.

      If you are an off premise caterer in most cases they ask or tell you what they were thinking of.. Off premise is most times more expensive but offers more customizing.