If you want to have a dinner party where you want your guests to socialize, then setting a buffet table is the best way to achieve your goal. Also if you have a large number of people and you do not want to get into the hassle of serving everyone, then this is the path for you. Guests will choose the food according to their choice and you do not even have to stay in the kitchen all the time and you will have a chance to mingle! If you do not know how to set a buffet table then continue reading this.
Complexity level: Moderate
Time required: 1-2 hours if you want to set a buffet for 8 guests
Resources Required:
- Counter tops or table tops
- Tablecloth (optional)
- Decorations (optional)
- Candles (optional)
- Utensils, glasses, and plates
- Cutlery stands or holders
- Salt and pepper dispensers
- Ice chests
- Condiments
- Trash receptacles
Instructions:
Room arrangement
- Set the area up where you want to serve the food.
- If it is an outside area then a table for food as well as the drinks is required.
- Tables should be arranged according to meals served. For example, pot luck meals can be arranged in any manner. If grilling is required, the table should be placed near the grill.
- If it is an inside meal, the kitchen counters should be cleared out. It can be used for drinks while the dinning table can be used for food.
Seating arrangement
- Seating should be arranged so that guests can sit and eat.
- If food is indoors, then the chairs of the dinning room should be moved to the room where everyone gathers.
- If food is outdoors, then lawn and folding chairs can be used.
Decoration
- You can stick to your entire theme to decorate. You can even use candles so that when food is served outside bugs are kept away.
- If you want people to notice a certain dish, you can elevate it. This is the trick all the hotels and restaurants use. Simply using a bucket or a box will help to raise the dish up and to highlight it.
Table arrangement
- Thinking about logically arranging your food is extremely important.
- Follow this pattern. Start with plates, follow with main dishes, then sides and veggies, and end it off with salads. Make sure that the utensils are placed right at the end so that the guests do not have to balance their plates on one hand and the utensils on the other.
- In case of a larger dinner party with more people, having two tables lined up together is a good idea to make things flow smoothly.
- Having a different table for the drinks as well as the desserts is a good idea.
Food choice
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Make sure you do not serve foods that are quite complicated when it comes to eating it or which require a lot of slicing and cutting.
Keep a Check on the Temperature
- Certain dishes need to be kept warm while the other needs to be kept cold.
- Put the cold dishes on ice and the warm ones on chafing dishes.
Placement of trash receptacles
- This should be placed right beside the table so that trash can be get rid off easily.
Conduct a test run
- Before the actual day, go through a test run with the bowls and dishes to be used so that you know exactly what you will need on the day of the event.
Frequently asked questions:
Is a dish cleaner required for a dinner party?
This is not really something that is necessary, but then it does help you out quite a bit. Instead of getting stuck in the kitchen thanks to this little investment you will be able to spend time with your guests.
Quick tips:
- The perfect place to set up this table is usually in the middle of the room so that guests can use it from both sides.
- Make sure your guests have around an hour to chat before you start to set everything up. You can also pass on the hors d’oeuvre during this time.
- Make sure salt and pepper shakers are kept at different locations where the guests will sit with their food.
- If you have a special occasion then you can even have a thank you gift for your guests.
- keep the drinks table as far as possible from the buffet table.
Things to watch out for:
When you plan on the layout of the buffet, you need to keep a few things in mind.
- How are your guests going to move from one food item to the next one.
- How you are going to keep the access way from the kitchen to the tables clear.
- How beverage traffic is going to be kept separated from the food traffic.
- How to handle clean up without disturbing the guests.
