200 person cater all appetizers job?

[shaggy smokes]

Anyone ever done this? They just want appetizers. I really don't know how to quote this. Its going to be more man hour tediousness than anything. However feel could pass good word of mouth if done right.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

To answer your question, no, I haven't. As you say, it will be labor intensive, and if working with PHF (potentially hazardous food) will require extra attention to details with safe food handling practices (possibly working in batches to reduce exposure time to temperature rise with perishables). Are you in need of ideas for planning and what to make and/or how to handle it in a speedy fashion? I'm assuming there will be some smoking/grilling involved.

Eric

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  WOW!  Time consuming isn't the word.  How Fancy Schmancy is this party?  You might be able to get off cheaply depending on their expectations.  Do you plan to do all the smoking yourself or maybe buying some different smoked goods?  How much needs to be smoked versus other items?  I have a couple good cheap recipes, but if these folks are real "foodies" you will need to step it up.  Those recipes can be "upgraded" but then you are adding prep time.  Are we talking things that can be served on a Ritz cracker?  Don't get me wrong, you can serve some REALLY great food on a Ritz, like smoked pates ( the smoke on the slightly sweet cracker works really well ), but it just wouldn't fly in some circles.  As for how do you price it? Seems to me it depends on what they expect.  I understand you are willing to maybe take a slight loss for advertisement but you can't serve caviar and charge for chicken pate.

Danny

 

[shaggy smokes]

No not fancy atmy buddies old farm house. I'm supposed to come up with some ideas to run by them with price. I'm figuring pulled pork and chicken sliders, stealing some of Jeff's mini fatty ideas, and smoked wings, stuffed mushrooms. anyone who has ever had a pizza log I make pulled chicken or pork logs. Those would be difficult as they are fried item for so many people. Some other appetizers ideas would be appreciated. This is a wedding that doesn't want a sit down dinner just appetizers.

 

[shaggy smokes]

I'll be doing smoking. Forluvofsmoke I know the food time and everything is something I will need to deal with. With warmer box and use of oven at house and smoker should be OK. I figure will have pork butts ready to be pulled in a cooler as needed.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

I think you're on the right track with using larger cuts of meat that can be cooked first, then assembled for serving. That should save some time. What you can assemble first and cook on site will offset some of your onsite prep time so that part of it is ready straight out of the cooker, while the rest is cooked, then assembled. Finding the right balance of the two will be helpful...just thinking along the lines of multitasking here.

For appetizer ideas, I'm drawing somewhat of a blank, as I don't do them very much. OK, wait...

For onsite prep after cooking:

Pulled Pork or Chicken Quesadilla, with grated pepper-jack for a little kick. Some could be with a mix of cheddar for a heavier flavor. Also, for the heat-seekers, add some chopped Japs, seeds and all (prepped off-site), to a couple of them...just make sure they know what it is. Brush on bit of BBQ sauce before dropping everything on to finish it up. These will be a huge time saver, I think, as you could make a few dozen from one assembly, depending on the size you slice them to.

Eric

 

[shaggy smokes]

Good minds think alike. I'm looking at pulled pork pizza. I've only made it fresh so I'm going to test it out.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Good minds think alike. I'm looking at pulled pork pizza. I've only made it fresh so I'm going to test it out. and 1/

I'm thinking you would be better off with bite sized Boli's. Same ingredients and can go from Freezer to Oven.

Here is how I would do this...A typical price for nice Hors d'oeuvre requiring some labor is $1.75 to $2.00 Each. If they include expensive Meats or Seafood, $2.50 to $2.75 Each. This includes the Assembly Labor and Food Cost. You will need 6 to 8 different types, which is considered the equivalent of a sit down dinner. Some primarily Meat and Seafood based others Veggie and/or Cheese based. Figure 1 and 1/2 of each type per person. Some will eat one of each, others will grab 2 of anything that looks good or is expensive. Ladies and Kids will eat less. The day of the event Labor is billed serarately. You should get $25/hr ( min 4 hours) for you and for any Assistants you bring to Cook, Plate and if needed Serve. You can also charge Cost for any Rentals you have to make, Platters, Utensils, Plates, Etc. You may choose to charge cost, billed with Labor and Rentals, for Condiments and Garnish for the Platters or add a Nickle or so to the price of each Hors d'oeuvre to cover these extra items. If this is a Friends Wedding you can adjust accordingly. I once did a sit down Prime Rib and sides Dinner for Food Cost and myself and one assistant gave the Labor as a Gift. Best of luck...JJ

 

[shaggy smokes]

Chef JJ any secret app recipes up your sleeves?

 

[eman]

Here is a great app recipe,

This recipe makes around 75 pieces.

CRACK WRAPS
3 blocks cream cheese.
1/2 lb  smoked ham.
3 stalks green onions.
1/2 cup pecans.
1 tbsp cayanne pepper.
1pkg. lg. flour tortillias.

Directions:
Let cream cheese soften, Place cream cheese in
food processor and mix 1 block at a time.
add ham onions and pecans after 2nd block of cheese. add 3rd block cheese and mix till you have a soft spredable mix.
spread mix on a tortillia 1/8" to 1/4 " thick.
Roll up tortilla .after you roll scrape excess from the edge and use to stuff the ends.
Wrap each roll in wax paper and refrigerate over night. when you get ready to serve unwrap and slice in 1/2" slices. serve w/ toothpicks. use your favorite salsa to dip the slices in.

 These things are addictive like Crack. Hence crack wraps.

 

[eman]

Smoked cheese and crackers also. Cold smoke 4 different cheeses and make cheese trays.

 

[shaggy smokes]

They just want a cheese tray good idea but with the volume of things going only worried about smoking what can be had at my joint

 

[chef jimmyj]

I have some tricks. Make a list of what you are thinking and I can add some ideas that compliment/contrast your choices. When is this gig?...JJ

The 6-8 Hors d'oeurves is for the typical 1 hour of the main eating part of the Wedding. If this is a 4-5 hour event with Alcohol, weddings are no fun without it, it is a good idea to have have Cheese & Crackers and Fruit/Veggie trays w/dips that can be out after the main event. This helps people from getting too drunk.

Also take into consideration the make up of the guests and App's. Get a feel for the number of men, women and children if possible. You doing a big eater Biker wedding? Or is this a NYC Black Tie event?  If the App's are small Foo Foo, Pinky Up items, you may need to figure 2-3 of each. If a laid back, larger item Sliders, Ribs, Wings and Mini-Boli's Wedding 1 and 1/2 per person is plenty...Caterers charge Big $$$ for these things because a lot of planning and coordination goes in to this type of event. A 200 person Sit Down Dinner is so easy compared to these, But I personally prefer the variety and interesting eats an Hors d' oeurve Wedding offers...JJ  

 

[shaggy smokes]

August 2nd don't have it yet have need to come up with ideas to run by them.

 

[gator]

I've done it before for a wedding reception. Had servers circulating with trays & staff setting them up in the back. VERY labor intensive, more expensive to do due to so many ingredient's.  Most expensive wedding I've done, but also most profitable. My advise... Bid it right, do your best, don't think about the future jobs now, just concentrate on the job at hand & the rest will follow.