Cook Talk

Wedding Dinner for 50 Reception for 150
Kay
08/01/17
First of all - Thank you! I successfully used this website to cater for my daughters wedding dinner 4 years ago - It went perfectly.
Now my niece is getting married and my sister needs help. I live in USA, she lives in UK.

She is planning a sitdown dinner for 50 guests at 5pm which is all under control. However, she is having an additional 150 people come for an evening buffet 7:30pm. She is getting an extra large hog roast which the supplier is cooking and carving from to feed the 50 at dinner and then shredding the rest for the evening guests to use as pulled pork baps/sandwiches. She wants coleslaw, potato salad and green salad as sides. She will also supply as few baked potatoes and a beef chilli (in a crockpot for those who don't eat pork or like baps) and a pasta and marinara sauce (for those that don't eat meat).

I understand that the 50 dinner guests have been fed already but I'm questioning how much extra I will need for those 50 that might dip into the buffet for 150 later? I calculated the following could you please tell me if I have gone overboard or if I need more?:

7 gallons potato salad
6 gallons coleslaw
19lbs green salad mix (I will add toms, cuc, celery, grapes, feta, raisins)
5lb dried penne pasta (1 gallon marinara sauce)
1 large crock pot chilli
20 baked potatoes

She is on an extremely tight budget so I do not want to over-estimate but she is very concerned that no-one goes hungry. I'm nervous...

Yours most gratefully!

ellen
08/03/17
Hi, your encouraging note is very helpful as I labor over the site revamp!

The pig will use about 1 pound per dner of startng weght. How much will be left?

So, I am assuming this is 100 people coming at 730. Some will have eaten dinner, some not. It is more usual to have cocktail bar food after dinner, but if you are gong for straight dinner, ok.

7 gallons potato salad plenty, prob some left; I would do 5
6 gallons coleslaw, I would not do more than 4
19lbs green salad mix (I will add toms, cuc, celery, grapes, feta, raisins), 15 pounds enough
5lb dried penne pasta (1 gallon marinara sauce), consider doing a brilliant pasta salad with rotini, radiatore or farfelle instead; more color, goes with the menu, can be done ahead, no last minute oven!
1 large crock pot chilli- assume 6 quarts? plenty
20 baked potatoes
You need potato toppings, see the taco/potato bar page for amounts and ideas
Consider doing cheese (12 pounds, some can be bars, spreads or logs), crackers (6-8 pounds) and fruit (see fruit tray page) instead of baked potatoes and toppings

In the US it is usual to serve sliced pickles (1 gallon per 100) and sliced onions (8 pounds per 100). I suggest slider rolls rather than full size, allow 200 if there is a lot of pork.

Write back if needed.

Kay
08/03/17
Thanks Ellen you are awesome!

Its *an additional 150* so a total of 200 will be there all evening but i'm thinking the 50 having already eaten may not need too much...how does that alter your quantities?

Pasta salad is a much better idea thanks! And yes we will be having appetizers trays of cheese/crackers and fruit. The English don't do sliced pickles but they do love pickled onions!!

Appreciate your help with this so much.

ellen
08/04/17
That is for 100 si for 150, so 1 1/2. Hope there will be sweets, tpp. Best wishes!
Kay
08/05/17
Ok so I think you're saying my original quantities are about right for a total of 150 extra quests in the evening.

Yes we are planning a chocolate fountain with a mass of cream puffs and other dippables along with wedding cake and fruit.

Thank you Ellen - all the best with the new website.

ellen
08/05/17
The suggestons I made are for 100, so 1 1/2 my suggestions, which heads toward your numbers, is about right.
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