Our catering menu the other night...

[Chef Bradley]

I would like to start this thread about catering. Occasionally, we are asked to cater to a few of the elite and this gives me, as a menu writer, the chance to fool around with flavors and textures, as well as give the staff a chance to play with some great food.

Does anyone here cater often? Either as a pro or just a hobby? What are some of your best/ worst adventures, what do you do different/ better/ special? I'd love to hear your input.

Here's the menu I wrote for the other night.

Tenderloin of Beef Au Poive Carved to Order w/ Assorted Artisan Breads and Accompaniments

Grain Mustard

Horse Radish Mayonnaise

Sweet Onion Relish

Skewered Appetizers and Assorted Dips 

Jerk Marinated Shrimp w/ Spicy Mango Relish

Curried Chicken w/ Lime Cardamom Crème Fraîch

Grilled Marinated Veggie Kabobs w/ Herb Balsamic Vinaigrette*

Assorted Canapés 

House-Made Lox on Mini Bagel Crisps

Pan-Seared Diver Scallops w/ Caramelized Onion Marmalade  on Pumpernickel Cracker

Wild Mushroom Ragout on a Parmesan Wafer*

Fruit and Cheese Display

Hand-Cut Fruits and Imported Cheeses w/ Crackers and Assorted Accompaniments

Mini Dessert Assortment

Chocolate Espresso Crème Brulee

Oreo Cookie Cheesecake

Blondie in Raspberry Ganache

Fresh  Berries w/ Fruit Mousse Served in Cinnamon Tartlet’s

It was for about 40 people and the kitchen we worked out of (private residence) was bigger than my house and half of my work kitchen! Everyone loved it and took a doggy bag home, lol. And, as aresult, we landed yet more catering business! (vicious circle, lol).

[Joisey]

I just got done writing all my banquet/catering menus for my new gig, so I've been playing around with a lot of things too. I'm trying to stay away from the cliche..no shrimp cocktails or thai peanut chicken skewers on the passed apps.

My considerations were thus:

Unique? Good Tasting?

Ease of Service? (should either have a base or be strong enough to be picked up on its own. Also, no more than two bites worth of food or it's too big).

Ease of prep based on my kitchen size?

Use ingredients in other things?

I've got two weddings a week booked in my joint this summer, along with a la carte dinner service plus sunday brunch. 3 man line and a 6x10 walkin..everything has to be thought out to the max. Personally I find the limitations to be more challenging than having a completely open slate, it keeps you sharp.

[Chef Bradley]

I can relate to the small kitchen and pulling off what seems to be the impossible with large caterings. It's amazing what one can figure out with limited space.

[Joisey]

I honestly think I'd be lost in a big kitchen anymore (well, except if it had a lot of cold storage space). My biggest headaches come from physically storing raw and finished product, everything else is logistics.

[coastie]

I do weddingsa nd the usual. But I've been branching out into photo shoots and set locations. I have to set up varying dgrees of service on glaciers, wildlife refuges etc. Some of it is simple trays /box lunches- but we have done multi-coursed dinners up there. We bring in limited equipment - Weight is a big issue for me because a helicopter is used to ferry the items. Clients are very high end - lots of different dietary restrictions ( models). It is the most challenging catering I do - because I have one chance to nail it. If its not on the helicopter or I dork it up transporting the item.

[Mr. Delicious]

I do a small amount of catering out of my bakery, I try to cook on sight not to interfere with the smells of a bakery. Mostly a couple parties for friends or a local attorney, I also did a fundraiser for one of the congressmen. I was formerly a sous chef and now a baker so I miss cooking real food and love to show off my favorites. I ususally do hors deuvres just for casual snacking over a couple hours, most times people drink quite heavilly. I love it and I do it with usually 2 other people so it keeps us quite busy and is a nice change of pace. I really enjoy the interaction, something I never got to do as a chef. My biggest issue is I can never be as early as I want to be, I'm not late but not early.

[Joisey]

I do weddingsa nd the usual. But I've been branching out into photo shoots and set locations. I have to set up varying dgrees of service on glaciers, wildlife refuges etc.  Some of it is simple trays /box lunches- but we have done multi-coursed dinners up there. We bring in limited equipment - Weight is a big issue for me because a helicopter is used to ferry the items. Clients are very high end - lots of different dietary restrictions ( models). It is the most challenging catering I do - because I have one chance to nail it. If its not on the helicopter or I dork it up transporting the item.

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Hey, I've done a few of those photo shoot gigs..I was down in California in December doing a shoot in some dry lake bed in Barstow. Job paid unbelievably and other than learning how to drive a 30 foot RV in LA rush hour traffic, it was pretty cool.

[Chef Bradley]

I often play around with the idea of buying a mobile kitchen (like a "roach coach" ) and bringing my catering ideas to the people, lol. Like, sporting events and fairs. Simple fine dining done on the road. Nothing too fancy, just good simple food not too different from a bistro. Who knows, maybe some day I'll stop procrastinating

[Joisey]

Bradley..it's funny, the guy I did the contract cater for is doing the exact same thing in Seattle. His concept is called "Le Pigeon" (not to be confused with the Portland Resto of the same name) and he wants to have semi-upscale mobile kitchens doing bistro type food. I think it's a great idea.

[Pam R]

I think it's an interesting idea too. I also think it would help in those situations when you cater in a facility that doesn't have a good kitchen - or a kitchen at all. You know - when you're doing a sit-down dinner for 100 and there's only one small home kitchen. Or a cocktail party for 200, when you need to pass hot apps and there's no oven at all (love those).

We have a kitchen, but don't have our own banquet facility so having a kitchen-to-go is a fantastic idea.

[coastie]

The traveling kitchen is so much fun and so much hard work. For awhile I had a kitchen that I broke down and went to festivals and also used as a kitchen when catering without power. A lot of that here........ Money was great the work is very hard. keeping enough product on hand and evrything clean with limited h2o etc. We were on site from 3 to 7 days. Now I don't travel after the band LOL..... I do a couple of local food festivals and do weddigs photo shoots and whatever at the local historic" gold mine" ( no power) so mobile kitchen is the ticket. Mine is a kitchen that I set up on site under tenting as opposed to a " roach coach" In AK that is whats needed because frequently I can't actually drive all the way to the site. Its so much work that I now only charge a premium and only do high end. With one exception ( huge fair with 12, 000 attendees) I sling falafel, steak and cheese, pierrogi, greek salad in one and have a crepe booth next door to save on labor and equipment. Its 5 days of the hardest work all year - the line does not stop. but that money holds my little restaurant in the dead season. ( I know its a wierd menu, but its a weird audience......

I say go for it its fun - but check on local health codes they vary a lot and what you look into buying may be difficult to bring to code....

[Joisey]

--the work is very hard. keeping enough product on hand and evrything clean with limited h2o etc. --

I don't think I've ever been as exhausted as doing the shopping for my photo shoot. It was literally hell.