How do you serve?
When you're cooking for guests, if you serve restaurant-style (everything individually plated) how do you handle portions? Do you give everyone the same large portions so everyone has more than enough, and let them wrestle with their own plate-cleaning demons -- And deal with the idea that there will be wasted, uneaten food on some plates?
Or do you serve small portions, and follow up with seconds for those who want them? Or do serve what you serve, and that's it -- no extras for anyone? Or do you customize portions for different people?
And if you customize, how do you determine who gets smaller and larger portions? Do you ask, or do you assume that women eat less...or?
Obviously, if it's your family, you know who likes what and how much they're likely to eat, but if you're having guests, you don't always know for sure what they like or dislike, or even how hungry they are on that particular day.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
17 Comments:
Large group, especially holidays? Buffet. We spent so much time passing food at the table, it was just easier if we served the food at another station, then took the plate to the table. The table had a lot more room for decorations and/or floral arrangements too.
Small group? I like a plated dinner. I don't spend much time fussing over the layout of food - but I do like to indulge every now and then in a bit of garde manger.
One of my favorite "services" was paella with my gourmet group. You haven't lived until you see deals made over snails, chicken and sausage in a huge pan. :D
chiff0nade at 7:09PM on 02/26/08
I usually do a buffet-style thing in my kitchen... they can come over, serve themselves as much as they want and walk over to the dining room to eat. My dinner parties are small - just like my kitchen and dinning room are.
MadelynRodriguez at 7:20PM on 02/26/08
I usually plate my food. Mostly, everyone gets the same big portion - seconds if they want and I always offer. I have a large Cuban family and we tend to make triple what we think is necessary so there are always seconds, and thirds if people want them.
I also customize if I know the people well enough. I know that my dad likes corner/crispy pieces of anything, so I usually save those for him...and one for myself ;)
bitchincamero at 7:52PM on 02/26/08
For six guests or less I place all the food on the table in small/ medium serving platters and each person serves himself/herself and passes the platters. Larger groups, I serve buffett style with the food on the kitchen island and we eat in the dining room. It all works out well, people are always happy to be invited to a home cooked meal.
elaine nan at 8:06PM on 02/26/08
I usually serve family style, that way anyone can avoid whatever they dont care for and double up on what they do, and noone feels uncomfortable leaving something on their plate.
huney_bumper at 8:20PM on 02/26/08
Usually family style, unless it's a huge gathering - then buffet. If I'm cooking meat like steaks or burgers where guests have preferences for doneness, then they get served that portion of the meal, and serve themselves the rest.
PerkyMac at 8:26PM on 02/26/08
If I am entertaining a group who's tastes are familiar, I will plate medium size portions, serve and let the guests know there is plenty more if they would like. When my husband and I split salads in restaurants, they always give him a larger portion. I don't care for that. I like my salad! If I haven't had certain guests in my home, I will generally set up a buffet and let them decide what is right for them. If I am preparing steak, I will casually ask each guest their temperature preference and grill accordingly. I will usually serve a fish or chicken too. If it is a business dinner, I will plate, serve medium portions, let them know what I am serving and sit down. (drink a glass of wine) I keep the dishes interesting but never too spicy. I always ask the invitees if there is anything they will not eat. For the most part folks are honest. As the dinner progresses, I will ask if anyone needs anything additional. People come back, so I guess it works.
crazyspice at 8:33PM on 02/26/08
Almost always family-style. One of my favorite ways is the "build-your-own.." meal or dessert.
JEP at 8:38PM on 02/26/08
Answering my own query, I always serve family style, except when it's buffet, but now and then I think that a clever presentation would be nice. Then I think about the times I've seen plated meals go wrong at other people's houses.
At one dinner, the largest woman at the table was served a half-size dessert, based on the size of everyone's portions. She looked like she wanted to crawl under the table. The skinny guy at the table got an extra-large portion.
Another time, it was a breakfast, just four of us, and the hostess asked how many eggs, how do you want them cooked, do you want bacon...etc. I'm not much of a breakfast eater, so it was one egg, one piece of bacon...and when she brought me my plate, there were 4 slices of toast on a separate plate. But they were all meant for me, because when she set down a plate for the next person, there was a separate plate with two slices of toast. I guess that extra toast was supposed to make up for what I wasn't eating, but I just couldn't choke down all four slices. If she had asked, I probably would have said I didn't want any, or maybe just one. When she picked up my plate, I got a dirty look. Hey, I didn't touch it! Make croutons!
Another time, a hostess served the same dessert to everyone except her husband. Her rationale was that she bought that night's dessert particularly for the occasion, but her husband's dessert was left over from the night before, and he didn't happen to like the current one she was serving. It made sense to her, but there were people eyeing the husband's dessert with much lust. No one was asked what they wanted, it was just served that way.
dbcurrie at 9:00PM on 02/26/08
I have a diverse group of friends who have diverse SO's, so I always go buffet or family style. I make an effort to offer something for everyone and at times I have had to curtail my affinity for pork or point out the olives in a dish or pour a couple of glasses of sparkling cider instead of champagne--after all they are my guests.
I will only serve plated dinners to small groups of 4 to 6 friends whose eating habits I know very well.
I picked up my mother's way of entertaining (feeding others), which always included an over-abundance of great food. I used to admonish her for going to so much trouble, now I understand that this is how she honors her guests. I also understand why she has daughters...to clean up after the party. That's ok, though. I am more than willing to work for food :)
wookie at 2:36AM on 02/27/08
We just went through a major kitchen remodel and made it the center of life in our home. We can seat a dozen at our kitchen table and do it quite regularly. I plate the food.
I usually serve the "alpha male" guest first with no question about his ample portion. Next come all of the female guests who are invited to compare their desired portion to his. They usually opt for much smaller portions; leaving lots for the final wave of male guests. Now that I think of it, that is a bit of a strange order of service.
I tend to serve a little more than each requests so the timid guests still get as much as they really want. All my guests learn early that they are free to leave something on their plates if I over estimated.
Some times I cook more than I think I'll need at that meal; pre-planning for tomorrow. In those cases I don't announce the possibility for seconds. If I do have unplanned extras, I make a general announcement of their availability but rarely have to get up make a second service.
czken at 5:29AM on 02/27/08
For holidays easter, christmas, thanksgiving, new years we set a formal table but put of the food in serving pieces on the table.
For the summer memorial day, July 4th, labor day and all picnic and summer cookouts I put of a station with plates, utensils, condiments and heaping plates of food and drink and you go and serve yourself at your leisure.
I can tell you from experience this works wonderfully.
We do a few times a year have a sit down where I plate the food. Usually when we have just a few guests over and its something quiet. At my house holidays are way too busy and many to plate food for each.
I was teaching a godchild at christmas how to plate salads this past year and for her I did it. We did a plated caesar with crouton and fresh grated cheese. That was fun for her I made a little assembly line and let her see how it was done. We had 14 plates so it was fairly brisk in pace and we had a good time. Plating salads is how I got my start in the family kitchen when I as a young foodie.
JerzeeTomato at 8:31AM on 02/27/08
We always serve family-style, and on the rare occasion, buffet. Never a plated dinner. Come to think of it, I can't even remember a time when I was the recipient of a plated dinner in someone else's house...
Bakerloo Line at 11:14AM on 02/27/08
When I was very young, I was a really picky eater so plated dinners have always been a nightmare for me. I am significantly better now (although there are still quite a few "popular" foods that I wouldn't eat), but I do remember what it's like when you are stuck with a plate that you would never take for yourself. Ergo, I don't ever do it to anybody else. For smaller gatherings, I serve "family style". For larger parties, I make a buffet station.
I dislike plated dinners so much that even for our wedding I made sure that our food was served buffet style, and instead of choosing "salmon or steak" 3 months in advance, our guests could choose whatever they wanted right there - and everybody was happy.
brooke29 at 11:42AM on 02/27/08
We typically do family style or buffet, too. That way, everyone can dish up whatever they like and skip the things they are not as fond of. The only thing we did as a "plated" item was at Christmas last year. I did steak au poivre, so I plated each steak for everyone after cooking it to their desired stage, then they dished up their own sides. Everyone's welcome to go back for more of whatever they want. I like when someone goes back for seconds of something I've prepared as I hope that says they liked it!
jmoilanen at 1:24PM on 02/27/08
i can't remember ever being served a plated meal outside of a restaurant or wedding reception. family meals are always laid out in serving pieces on the table or buffet style. all of my friends and their families do this as well.
i sort of find the idea of plated meals outside of family or close friends to be very presumptuous. on the other hand, a very beautifully plated dish would wow the hell out of me! shows a lot of effort on behalf of the host.
also, i can't believe there are hosts out there that would do something as rude as serve a heavy person less of something while giving a skinny person more.
protest at 2:42PM on 02/27/08
This really depends on what I'm serving, and the occasion; I don't think guests should have to wrestle with their food, and some things really do look nice plated out. If I plate out, the only individuals who get smaller portions are very small children, and anybody who's com into the kitchen and specifically asked me to give them a smaller serving.
mongoose at 3:13PM on 03/06/08