Choosing the right food and beverages to serve at your event can be a bit overwhelming. Not only do you have to decide what to serve, you also have to decide how to serve it.
When coordinating the food and beverage for a large number of people (50-250 guests), there are a variety of menu options available. Knowing what options to consider in the planning process can help you make an informed decision to best suit your guests and budget.
Here are a few food service terminologies to assist you in making a selection with your caterer or venue.
Types of food services: Plated - Typically a 3-course meal with a salad, entree, and dessert. Traditionally, the guests will receive the same salad option and dessert, but they will have a choice for the entree course with a selection of either beef, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian.
Family Style - A seated meal where food is placed on the table in large serving dishes from which guests serve themselves. Family style can be fun and interactive for attendees because this type of service allows them to engage with individuals at their tables with the passing of dishes. On the other hand, if the attendees do not know each other beforehand, this can be a bit awkward. Buffet - The meal is laid out on tables, so guests can serve themselves. This style of service is casual and allows guests to select the offerings that adhere to their preferences or dietary constraints.
Food Stations/Display - This menu option can be visually appealing and may include a cheese platter, crudité, or charcuterie display (fancy words for vegetable and meat display). Food stations can also be a chef-attended offering with a meat carving option, crepes made to order, a taco bar, or a ceviche station. There are many options available with food displays, as well as more involved food stations. In general, this style of service can be more casual than the alternative menus styles.
Tray Passed - Appetizers presented to guests on a tray by servers that walk throughout the event. Tray passing is a compelling option when you want to encourage networking and you're looking to incorporate sophisticated elements of service. This style of service is best if it's coupled with one of the other styles of food service to ensure guests are satisfied with the amount of food available.
Buffet style of service can be a fantastic choice for many reasons. Your event is more of a casual gathering. The venue is known for small portions, and you want to ensure guests do not leave hungry. Attendees have an array of food preferences or allergies (gluten free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, etc.). Retrieving entree selections (beef, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian) from attendees will be too challenging.
Here is a sample buffet menu from my friends at Carnitas' Snack Shack. Their venue in downtown San Diego has stunning views of the harbor, and the food is phenomenal.
"Vegan Gone Really Bad"
Seasoned Tater Tots with House-made Bacon Ketchup Frisee and Baby Spinach | goat cheese | apple | radish | lemon vinaigrette
Snack Shack Tacos | carnitas | pico | guacamole | tortilla
Crispy Chicken Sandwich | crispy chicken | chive aioli | tri-pepper marmalade | brioche bun
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