Wedding Dinner 250 people
Shannon
05/25/09 		I am coordinating the dinner for my sister-in-law's upcoming wedding. I have consulted your site for the amounts of raw ingredient we will need, and have secured a commercial kitchen and chafers. What I need to know is how many hotel pans we will require for all the food items (and any other suggestions you feel are appropriate would be much appreciated!)?. We are serving:

Beef Burgundy
Chicken Casserole
Green Beans
Corn
Mashed Potatoes
Carrots

ellen
05/26/09 		The chafer dishes/pans come in 2 1/2, 4, and 6 inch depths. What will you be using?

Also, it is usual to run 4 lines (two twosided lines) for this many people for buffet service, with a separate dessert station and possbly separate beverage stations. Is that how you are planning to set up? If not, what is your plan?

Shannon
05/29/09 		The chafers are 8 quart, if I am not mistaken that is the 6" depth, right?

Yay! I got something right!!! I have planned the buffet line as you suggested and there will be attendants serving to help with portion control. Thankfully her father is the pastor of their wonderful church so, I have no shortage of volunteers!

Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!! So much for this invaluable site, I might have raised my flag of surrender without all the information available here! Thanks as well for the most timely responses, too! I think as soon as I get the chafer question answered I will actually be able to pll this off largely because of this site!

ellen
05/29/09 		OK. 8 quart pans usually end up with about 7 quarts- 28 to 30 cups. Veggies are figured at a 1/2 cup service, 50-60 people per pan (lower number per mashed potatoes). Meats are full cup- about 30 people per pan. Casseroles are up to 1 1/2 cups- only around 25 per pan.
That might do it for your calculations.
Shannon
05/30/09 		Again, I just can't say thank you enough! I am gonnna get cookin' now!