Ribs for a buffet

[Dejah]

I have been invited to "guest chef" at a local casino for Chinese New Year. Along with the dishes I suggested, they'd also like some "char siu" ribs. I used to marinate the slabs over night then hang to roast in the oven when I had the restaurant. However, this is not do-able as I would not be there until an hour and a half before the buffet starts.

 

Would it work if I ask the kitchen staff to slow roast the slabs in the oven early in the day, then we can slather the hoisin mixture I would use before they finish them on the grill for that bit of char? I'll be using slabs of side ribs.

 

It's been 15 years since I cooked for a large group (about 150),  but I'm looking forward to cooking in a commercial kitchen ONCE 

[Lisa Shock]

Do you trust the staff to do this right (keeping the temp low), or even do it at all without forgetting? If there's even a small chance that they'll forget and throw them into a 500° oven ten minutes before you arrive, or, remember to put them in but decide on their own that 350° seems like a better temp, I'd forget it.

[Shel_B]

I lean somewhat in Lisa's direction.  Last year I provided very specific details and instructions to my "son-in-law" for making a dish that would be served at a small, intimate dinner for four.  I provided specifics such as exact oven temperature, which rack in the oven the dish should be cooked, precise measurements of ingredients, and so on.

 

When SIL cooked the dish he decided that the proportion of ingredients was wrong (never having made the dish himself, or used the technique), and that my recommended oven temp "couldn't be right."  Came time for dinner, the dish was ruined ... and this guy has owned restaurants and been cooking for 35+ years.  I'd urge caution, but not necessarily forgetting the idea.

[dcarch]

I understand that for Chinese New Year, all food should have symbolic good luck meanings.

 

dcarch

[liuzhou]

I understand that for Chinese New Year, all food should have symbolic good luck meanings.

 

dcarch

 

Some. Even many. But not all.

Edited January 29, 2015 by liuzhou (log)

[Dejah]

Thanks for the replies. Don't have to worry about ribs now as the chef said he was doing the ribs with his own recipe. They will be positioned in the casino-section of the buffet. I will have my section for the 4 dishes I am doing. It's good for the separation as I don't think his will taste the same as the ones my former customers will remember  . Many have already "booked their tables".