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Buffet dinner with friends
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| Organising a buffet dinner provides a pleasant opportunity to spend an evening with friends. The advantages are that you can serve a more sumptuous and varied menu, but most of all you won't need to worry about the number of guests. Even if you don't have much available space it is possible to make more room by moving tables and sofas. |
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The first rule to be respected when organising a buffet dinner is to make your guests comfortable. Thus it is possible to set out three kinds of buffets, depending on the space available: against the wall (the table is pushed against the wall and only three sides are used), central (with plenty of space around it allowing guests to move around all four sides) or else double, namely with two tables on opposite sides of the room. In the case of the last option, it is advisable to arrange plates, glasses and napkins on both tables along with some food. In this way you will avoid everyone congregating around just one table, and all the guests will be able to help themselves.
Whilst dinner might be eaten standing up, there should be no shortage of chairs and coffee tables for those who prefer to eat sitting down. You can gain some space by moving furniture to the sides of the room: sofas against the walls, separate food and drink tables so that guests can reach them with ease. Using tables of different shapes and sizes is also a nice idea: rectangular (and larger) for the food, smaller (and round) for the drinks.
When dinner is served buffet-style, the number of forks, spoons, napkins and knives must always be greater than the number of guests. Speaking of knives, it is preferable to avoid having to use them when eating standing up because it is difficult to cut while holding a plate. Try to think of food that doesn't call for them.
Fold napkins elegantly and place them in a fan on a tray or in a basket so that they are easy to reach. Paper ones are preferable, in one or more colours to make your dinner pleasing in terms of both flavours and aesthetics.
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The order of dishes might be the traditional order, namely appetisers, first courses, second courses and then desserts. In this case it is important for there to be a table free on which to put the plates that have already been used. Guests should feel that the room is tidy and clean. Serving dishes should not be over-full: it is best to top them up as you go along with food that is fresh out of the kitchen, especially if the menu features dishes to be served warm.
Alternatively you can opt for a more "informal" menu with a series of hot and cold snacks and one main dish. Place the snacks on trays so that they are available for guests from the start of the evening, then serve the main dish at a later moment; you can wind up the dinner with fruit and pastries accompanied by dessert wines.
One last tip: if you use paper plates, remember to place wastepaper baskets around the room; these should be as elegant as possible. When holding a buffet dinner, it is important to have resting surfaces: trolleys are fine, but small tables around which guests can even take a seat if they like are even better ... your friends will thank you for it.
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