What to consider when choosing your menu style for your Event...
Plated meal...Guests arrive to the dining area, typically they have seat assignments and know where they are headed. The first course is served, wine is poured and bottles are either left on the table for guests to be able to help themselves to more or, if you want to have more control of consumption, have the staff pour.
First course is cleared, second course is served. If there was a choice for Entree (beef or fish, also vegetarian), the guests typically may have a place card marking what they chose (most guests forget by the time of the event), or often the Caterer has a good idea of counts of Entree choices, so have enough for those who have changed their mind, or no place card cues are offered. The staff has already asked at each table for number of vegetarian/special meal needs when guests have sat down. Again, the Caterer knows how to estimate those numbers, so running our of any food is not an issue.
Most Caterers do not like to have the first course pre-set. On the table when guests sit down. Salads can wilt, and it is just not sanitary.
With a plated meal you HAVE to have enough staff!!! Cost of your Caterer will increase because of this. Ratio of staff to guest is typically 1 per 10-12.
Absorb this information...the next blog will look at Buffet/Stations
Plated Cheese Course, Cambridge Wedding