The summer season is quickly approaching, and that means more and more people will want to sit outside and enjoy their meals al fresco. Whether you are restaurateur who wants to show off a newly made outdoor patio or an owner of a catering company planning an intimate wedding feast, setting up an outdoor buffet is a great way to introduce your brand to potential clients. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Buffet set up for catering companies
Table prep
Before you set a single plate on a table, consider the space where your guests will be moving. Where are their tables in relation to the buffet? You can opt to put your plates on just one end of the table or both for easy access, but there should be a clearly defined route that your guests should follow to avoid traffic jams. You can also choose to keep the dining utensils at the opposite end of the plates.
After you’ve determined the flow of your buffet line, you can prepare the layout of the buffet itself. To create an unforgettable atmosphere of elegance and style, use Rosseto Serving Solutions’s buffet riser systems. Each one is made with the finest quality materials on the market. You can choose from commercial-grade wood, bamboo and acrylic with features like hexagonal, rectangular or round design.
Food precautions
When you are setting up a line of buffet tables in the summer heat, flies and other pests will be attracted to dishes like hamburgers, bratwurst, sausages and even leafy greens. Consider covering these items with a wire-mesh screen found at your local patio shop, or use plain plastic wrap.
When serving a large group of people, it is easy to forget many guests might have dietary restrictions or allergies to certain types of food. Make sure that you set up tent cards displaying what is in each dish. You can also let your guests know if dishes include peanuts, shellfish, wheat and other common allergens by placing a notice at the front of the buffet line.
Area prep
If you are setting up your buffet in a woodsy or grassy location, you will want to control pests so they don’t interfere with dining experience of your guests. Consider using cintronella candles throughout the guest area in a way that is unobtrusive and pleasing to the eye. You might also want to set up a screen tent seating area to help shield your guests from the summer sun.
To prepare for night time festivities, you can light the area where people will mingle with patio lights and lanterns. Walkways are another good area to light with tiki torches.
