Salad and dressing for 400

[treehugger057]

So I was trying to figure out a way to transport my salad mix 30 miles to an event! I need to figure out a way to keep the salad cold during transit as well as the event! Any idea's? Also I will need to bring dressing and am concerned I am allowing to much per person. Is 2oz of dressing per person too much?

So you know they will have
prime rib and
a chicken dish
grilled veg
roasted potato

I am sure not everyone will have salad so any tips would be great thanks
tyler

 

[shroomgirl]

Ice chest and mix there, if there is no fridge space keep in ice chest only dress when needed. 2 gallon ziplocks are your friend. Summer huge picnics I've put a smaller pebble bowl into a larger pebble bowl filled with ice. As it's fall it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[ed buchanan]

2 ounces is what I figure pp.(about 7 gallons) Now to salad, fill 2 large garbage bags with ice(heavy bags) Fill slightly smaller bags with salad mixture seal well and put inside other ice filled bags. Works for me many times + then have 4 more bags to throw trash in when they are empty.:chef:
Another advantage no weight from bulky ice chest. But you could use plastic garbage can(new)

 

[treehugger057]

Well I already bought a new trashcan and thanks for the tip with the ice!

 

[caterchef]

I always use the Cambro Food Boxes 18x26in. They have colanders that fit inside.
They also fit in your transporters. I also use the Cambro Insulated Containers to transport salad dressing. I don't use garbage bags and cans except for their intended purpose. Although Rubbermaid makes "Greens Keepers" that look like garbage cans.
I also think grilled vegetables for 400 people is a bit time consuming. I would not do it.:thumb:

 

[ed buchanan]

Cambros are to heavy for WhAT THEY HOLD. And are far to expensive for some startup caterers

 

[caterchef]

My Cambros hold 22 gallons and are 15in. deep
I use the colanders to hold the ice during transport and to drain and then spin dry before serving. The colanders cost about $25 and the boxes about $35, the cover are only $12. I would say reasonable for the purpose they serve. And they are great for holding and heating pasta, just run hot water over them drain and serve.:thumb:

 

[ed buchanan]

Plastic bags cost about 20 cents each and hold 40 gallons, and no covers, new garbage can $20.00. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[shroomgirl]

many different ways of getting the same result.
Thanks for sharing pros.

 

[caterchef]

Serving a Banquet of Prime Rib to 400 people is not what start-up caterers usually
start out with. A Prime Rib Banquet is on top of most caterers list, right up there with Live Lobsters, King Crab, Chateaubriand, Foie Gras, Roast Tenderloin and a Suckling Pig.
And a Banquet of Prime Rib for 400 people should bring in over $12,000. I would think a couple hundred dollars for Cambros would be well in the profit margin.
I know if I were paying over $30 for a Banquet and happened to walk by the kitchen and saw a server getting salad out out a garbage bag and dressing out of a garbage can I would be very upset. This is what I was referring to on my original post on this forum. Maybe I will do a follow up post.:thumb:

 

[treehugger057]

Caterchef if their is no grillled veg then what would you suggest?

 

[caterchef]

Any vegetable you that could put in the steamer ie. harcot verte ( whole baby green beans) it holds up better than broccoli, asparagus or cauliflower or a veg. medley of sliced zucchini, yellow squash and carrots with a sprinkle of tarragon leaves. A baked creamed spinach souffle with a little feta or cottage cheese is always nice. It is better to have a vegetable that the wife or the local restaurant dosen't serve. It gives the customer something to remember and talk to their friends about. Sometimes it is not what is on the menu that they remember, it's the extra effort or the little something extra like a granish that will set you apart from everyone else. And don't forget to have plenty of business cards out. Word-of- Mouth advertising is the best there is and it's free.:thumb:

 

[treehugger057]

caterchef I intend to pre grill the squash and zuchinni cooks some red peppers and onion toss it in hotel pans and hold in steam tables. Does that make this a more viable option ?

 

[treehugger057]

hey if anyone else has another way I would love to hear it! thanks again tyler

 

[shroomgirl]

roasted veg platter for 400.....wow that's ambitious.
I'm with the others on selecting one and going with that....typically "medleys" are not my style, something green like broccoli or green beans or glazed carrots as a secondary work for big groups.

 

[caterchef]

I just feel grilling any vegetable for 400 people is too time consuming and every restaurant is doing it. I feel it would be better to do a vegetable that they don't normally prepare like harcot verte, a spinach or fresh corn souffle. The veg.medley looks great if you use a waffle cutter and you can still add your red pepper strips. But, definitely not asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower unless you have a convection steamer on site. :thumb:

 

[treehugger057]

Crazy it may be! I am undertaking this with one prep cook! I must be gluttonous for torture.

 

[shroomgirl]

400, 2 guys......yeah that would be crazy.....just hauling shtuff around can be back breaking, but refilling the food?

 

[treehugger057]

Sorry If my post was misleading, I was in a rush earlier! I have a wait staff! I simply have one cook to help prepare this food! It shall be a long week! eace:

 

[ed buchanan]

How about Stuffed Tomato Monte Blanc or Zuchinni boats with julianne of carrot and yellow squash < or Japanese greenbeans tied with leek or carrot bundles tied with leek.
or ramen noodles with julianne of veges, Roasted beets and parsnips