Help with organization

[chefteldanielle]

I have 2 questions.
1. Are there websites for catering necessities such as licenses etc..

2. I have to cater a wedding of 350 on September 15th. I will be in France on the 14th.She will have tons of help serving the stuff in a church cafetaria type setting and I may have one of my culinary school friends go and help assemble stuff.
My friend is adamant about me doing it.
She would like simple appetizer type things. not a sit down dinner, one big thing and then all nibbly slightly fancy things.
Iam at a loss here.. any hints..
Thank you
Danielle

[shroomgirl]

Hi Danielle!!! Long time.
Not sure I understand what's going on....your flying in when and is the wedding in France????So your making a party on jetlag for 350 in a day???? Check out the freezer section and plan on freezing a bunch of stuff or having valuable friends make food using your recipes....
Necessary info:
Budget
Theme
Time of day
Who are these people
Number of staff you'll have
Equipment limitations

I've gotta bunch of ideas but need more info
Like specifically when are you going to be cooking for this event?

[chefteldanielle]

Sorry I am at work and it's the middle of the night..
The party is here in Portland on Sept 15 and it's for a co-worker.
Iam flying to France on the 14th with my school.
She wants me to cater it whether Iam there or not.
What can I prepare ahead of time that her friends can serve.
It will be quite casual in a church cafetaria style.
She does not want a sit down dinner, maybe one big thing and the rest nibbly stuff, so people will stay a while and dance.
No alcohol will be served.
I can have 2 of my chef students go and serve the stuff up.
I would have to prepare it all by the 13th..
Is it possible or must I forget it.
She is paying me $4000 to $5000.
That includes food.
(she was quoted $9000 by a professional caterer)
I have a chef instructor friend who can help me also.
She can possibly be there.
What do I pay her and do you have any ideas what we vcan serve.
There is no theme yet.
She kind of left it up to me.
Thanks a million
Danielle
oh what about catering licenses?

[shroomgirl]

350....
I'd jump on it....
Tonight I made a spanish picnic...we grilled a whole lamb with garlic
aioli, romesca, lemon basil pesto, gazpacho with wonderful tomatoes, semolina bread, olive, guava paste, manchego, asst sausages and cheeses....fingerlings and chanterelles, morels, green salad, tomatoes and white anchovies, Sangria, dry sherry, roasted almonds, flan and strawberries for dessert.

*********************************************
Wedding. In Sept in Oregan. Lasagnas...wild mushroom, veg and regular....
large green salad with balsalmic load it with veg, antipasta trays, bread sticks, fresh breads, caponata, dessert fun cannoli or fruit tiramisu add a few more appetizer type things
Lasagnas can be premade, salad prepped, dressing made, shtuff for antipasta bought, caponata made days in advance, cannolis pre made then assembled....
*********************************************
I kinda wanna know what your thinking about.
Plan to make several things days in advance.
Pay your friend a nice hourly fee or a set fee,depends on what they do for you.

[chefteldanielle]

Shroomgirl, you are a magician.. For 350 how many lasagnas would you make?
Vegetarian lasagnas??
Let me know if you have any other ideas.
Danielle

[logose]

Close to a wedding I just did. I had a progressive type of antipasta. Starting with shrimp cocktail on a wedding cake ice sculpture (bride's choice) and then in different trays for each part of the antipasta. I had a marinated veggie tray, caponata, Italian cheeses,assorted olives and a Italian meat platter an basket full of grissini bread sticks.
For the entree, I originally suggested Chicken Caccitori with Angel Hair Pasta, but the bride choose a manacotti. This could be stuffed, sauce made and the cheese shredded way ahead of time. Simply put together just before baking them off. We had a second entree with the Chicken with Fettuchini and Alfredo sauce. We poached the chicken and shredded into bite size pieces. Made the sauce and cooked up the pasta just before aladente ahead of time to just be warmed up in boiling water before service.
We had Ceasar salad with the dressing made ahead of time. With the romain washed and ready to be cut.Add croutons.
A fruit platter made a nice display. Melons wedges with proscuitto, oranges, figs if you can get them, pears, peaches,
Biscotti can be made way ahead of time. Partially dip into white or regular chocolate. Don't forget some Jordan Almonds.
Much of this can be done ahead.What cannot be can be done by others, but it still has a personal touch.

[logose]

[quote]Originally posted by shroomgirl:
[QB]350....
I'd jump on it....
Tonight I made a spanish picnic...we grilled a whole lamb with garlic
aioli, romesca, lemon basil pesto, gazpacho with wonderful tomatoes, semolina bread, olive, guava paste, manchego, asst sausages and cheeses....fingerlings and chanterelles, morels, green salad, tomatoes and white anchovies, Sangria, dry sherry, roasted almonds, flan and strawberries for dessert.

Sounds wonderful Shroomgirl, Can you enlighten me on what white anchovies are though? I don't think I am famaliar with that.

[shroomgirl]

I'd do 2 or three types of lasagna....one plain jane (this one I'd make the most of...unless you really know your group well think as 75%of eaters as not real adventuresome)
Vegetarian would be a great one....
Wild mushrooms...
You know I look at the pans and viualize a serving then add 15-20 for good measure (for this size group) and cook that many.

White anchovies are fresh either in salt or a lite vinegar....the texture and flavor is incredible...totally different from the norm...they go extremely well with tomatoes.

*** The less they have to do at the party the better...frankly I would just let the lasagna be the hot dish. When you are not there the less you have for others to do the better....loads of diagrams with plate layouts.

[chefteldanielle]

Thank you both for replying.. Yes my chef friend is willing to help.
What do I pay her. She is a chef instructor at my school and is willing to help me prepare the meal and stay there while iam on my way to France.
Lasagna will be the main meal with antipasto trays, fresh baked breads and a fruit platter. She doesn't want dessert, she has a cake she says.
I will have to figure out some more nibbly ideas and that will be it.
Danielle
Thank you

[relic]

Call me a bit of a control freak but if your catering business, like mine, is a new and growing concern, I wouldn't take on a job that I couldn't personally oversee. One bad experience can take months or years to overcome. But if you need to do this do as much in advance as you can and go over the rest in detail with your friends. It sounds like the menu requested would allow you to go this way. Enjoy your trip.

[chefteldanielle]

Actually, my trip being on the 14th of September was cancelled and I was able to cater this job myself.
We made extra food.. Hors d'oeuvres etc.. and Italian..
The mother of the bride was running to the kitchen jelling "stop the food we are full..
I got 3 references from that party and it was a great experience.. and I made a killing..
Thank you for your advice..
Danielle

Not being able to go to France was a disappointment, but I was glad I could do this on my own.. and do a great job

[shroomgirl]

Hooray!!!! So details whe you get the time......