help! feeding 100 or more

[chloemarie]

okay! so ive cooked plenty of meals for 30 or so.

im usually a cook for 18 apple pickers for two months.

but now ive got a different job.

theres a music fest in the town i live near.

its all punk/rock/hardcore music, but hundreds of young people come to town.

i will be making brunch and dinner for 2 days of the fest and selling them for 4 or 5 bucks a piece.

i would love to hear different ideas on what i can make, or anything at all!

most will be aged 18-26 and most likely, getting drunk all weekend.

i will be cooking outdoors under a tent and i will have a grill, 2 giant propane burners. 2 smaller propane burners, and a small convection oven on site. i can use the ovens in my kitchen and then bring food to the site, as well.

i could be serving 50 i could be serving 300, not sure.i will be working with a partner, possibly 2.

i was thinking about chili and cornbread for one dinner. one giant pot of chili, one giant pot of rice, giant pans of cornbread

im going to be keeping it vegetarian.

i dont need to be making anything fancy. obviously for the price. just something filling, tastey, simple. and...the cheaper i make it, the more money i make.

so any ideas or tips at all are GREATLY appreciated.

i have one week to prepare

 

[shroomgirl]

Shtuff you can recycle if not sold.....can you hear the learning experience that happened behind that statement!

Chloe, it doesn't say where you're from....which matters.

Fried potatoes are always a great return....either chips or fries...you can serve in a paper cone with dip options

Brunch...Fritattas....potatoes, eggs, optional veg, cheese......can be served cold, room temp, hot, made in 20ish minutes....ingredients cheap and have a life.  Bet it could be frozen too.

Quesadillas....bean goo, cheese, veg, then salsa......works on a grill....

Grilled Pizza, more fussy....potential of par cooking dough or just having alot of dough around just in case it sells well.

Omelets....

 

[boar_d_laze]

• Veggie burgers
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Quesadillas -- yes!  Cook the salsa in and fold them up as you would a burrito.   
• Cheese, avocado and sprout sandwiches
• Egg sandwiches
• Breakfast burritos -- rice, beans, and eggs scrambled with peppers and onions
• Bagels with regular or garden style cream cheese and tomato
• Vegetarian burritos -- grilled vegetables, rice and beans)
• Pita with hummus, tabouleh, baba and/or other Arab salads)
• Stuffed grape leaves
• Spanakopita
• Falaffel
• Potato skins
• Vegetarian stir fry - vegetables and tofu, seasoned with teriyaki sauce (kids like teh sweet), served on rice
• Chili -- great idea!
• Red beans, rice and corn bread
• Green salad
• Quiche
• Apple pie
• Breakfast pastries - including donuts.  You might have to look for vegetarian donuts.  It's hardly a given.
• Fruit salad

Just a few ideas, I'm certainly not suggesting you serve all of them, or that this is a complete list.

My suggestion is not to differentiate the brunch and dinner menus too much.  Time doesn't have the same meaning at a festival.  You'd be surprised at how many breakfast burritos you can sell at night, and bowls of chili at brunch.

Shop in an amount that will handle one big day or two slow ones.  If the first day is big, arrange for someone to p/u & d a new supply for second day AM.   Plan the second day around dishes you can cook in the flow, instead of around things needing a lot of advance prep -- unless you have someone at home who can take care of that for you.  

When you're at all busy, manage the flow by giving out numbers or playing cards (buy used decks) or whatever.  It's not just a question of keeping things organized for yourself, you've got to make sure the right order goes to the right person.  It can be very chaotic, and sometimes even nasty. 

Get help.  If you're going to do french fries, plan on having someone doing nothing but... the demand will be impossible otherwise.  Likewise, if you're planning on doing a lot with the grill, you need someone who can deal with that (almost) exclusively during the crushes.

If there's light volume your daily gross could be less than $500.  Is it worth it? 

Try and manage the crushes by extending your hours.  In other words, open as early as you can, switch off as late as you can, and don't close in between if you can help it.  That also means having help.

Good luck,

BDL

 

[lentil]

Baked potatoes with various toppings?  Your chili, broc and cheese, turkey and gravy (not in line with your vegetarian theme, though).  Easier and quicker than fries if your potatoes and toppings are hot and ready to serve.  I've done breakfats and othert burritos by making them ahead, wrapping them in foil sheets- keeps them hot and moist in a chafer.   For bulk and to keep expenses down, I use a scoop of herbed or Mexican rice in my burritos along with the featured filling.

Have you thought of doing sandwiches/wraps ahead and wrapping them?  This would be something you can just hand off  from a cooler with no wait.  Come up with some interesting vegetarian ideas with different spreads.  We use a feta spread that sells very well and top it with let, tom, cukes, bo, and onion.  Hummus and veggie?

 

[shroomgirl]

shoot the mac and cheese fried balls.....one stick or not even a stick, consider them finger food.....keep um frozen until frying....loving this idea.