It feels good when you are served everything on a platter. But nothing beats the pleasures of creating your platter – deciding which delicacies you want on your plate and in what quantities. Moreover, such a ‘self-service’ system also ensures considerable cost reduction in terms of doing away with staff to serve the food. That’s why the quintessential buffet system continues to reign in all types of occasions and events – be it a formal corporate event or a Melbourner’s fun weekend getaway. In this blog, we consider some handy tips that go into preparing and organizing the best buffet Melbourne.
1. Centrepiece: the ‘centre’ of attraction:
Without proper demarcations, differentiating the cuisines arranged on the buffet table can become a rather chaotic exercise. That’s why the centrepiece is a perfect idea! Simply put, the centrepiece is an elegant display of dynamic decoration ideas. You can get as creative or straightforward as you like with this space – from de-stemmed flowers and small candles floating on shallow water-filled shallow bowls, to a giant croquembouche or simply a fruit bowl. Such a corner reserved for visual delights helps one to navigate between starters, main-course and desserts while also admiring some creativity or grabbing a quick bite along the way!
2. The quickies before the biggies!:
Guests often look for knick-knacks to munch on while they engage in their pre-meal rendezvous. Cheese-balls, canapes, oyster Kilpatricks or patties with toothpicks and some tissues on the side – and you’re good to go!
3. The table says it all:
It’s not always enough to have a large table with mouth-watering cuisines. Laying a table also involves systematically planning where to place each dish on the menu, depending on which ones the guests should add to their plates first. For instance, hot foods for the main course should be placed towards the end of the table, so that the guests can consume these foods hot and fresh rather than wading through the long queue and finding the food cold when they finally sit down to dine. In contrast, cold food items like salads and ceviche should be placed at the start of the table. Other snacks and appetizers may be placed towards the centre. If opting for barbecue delights catering, make sure the barbecued foods are also placed towards the end of the table.
4. Accommodating food preferences and restrictions:
Barbeque catering Melbourne may offer delectable barbecued meat, and meat pie and lamb roast may be the ultimate cuisines for a lot of us. But some of your guests are probably vegetarians or have dietary restrictions. The best buffet catering services acknowledge these restrictions and preferences and offer ample alternatives for such individuals. Barbecued vegetables, salads and veggie alternatives in starters, as well as the main course, are great ways to cater to your vegetarian guests. Also, while inviting your guests, you could ask them to specify if they have any dietary restrictions, and then speak to your caterer about how these guests can be catered to.
5. Desserts: the best for the last!
All’s well that ends well…and all’s buffet that ends dessert! Make sure to serve the biscottis and cheesecakes in an organized manner, preferably setting them into plates prior, so that your guests know exactly what to take for dessert. Also, desserts can be artistically arranged one over the other or on cake plates to make them more visually enticing if possible.
So, preparing the perfect buffet is an art. But the best caterers are experienced artists in this front and can help you set up your dream buffet for your upcoming Melbourne event!
Feature Photo by Asiya Kiev on Unsplash
