Weekend Plate: Quantity Cooking

By Carlene Helble

One of the nutrition classes that I am lab support for this semester is quantity cooking. Every Friday, students cook for 50 people, and through taking the class last year, and helping in the class this year, I sure have learned how important it is to cook quickly but be thorough. This weekend I went home to visit my parents for their annual fall party…and cook for 25 people. But if I can do it, so can you! Here are a few of my favorite tips for cooking for large numbers.

1. Simple but varied

Think of a menu that allows variety for those with different tastes, but won’t require so much of your time. The night of the party I made an Indian yogurt chicken, but also grilled zucchini, eggplant, and peppers for vegetarians or to double as a side. Time required? Only the length needed to grill which can be done ahead and kept in the oven at ‘warm’.

2. Make your list and check it twice

Make your shopping list and check it against all recipes. No one wants to run to the store mid cooking. Talk about time consuming.

3. Keeping it hot

If you’re adding warm cooked chicken to a cold serving dish, you’re working against yourself! Heat the serving dish in the oven at about 170 degrees Fahrenheit and transfer the food to it after cooking has finished. Cover the dish and place it back in the oven to keep to temperature.

4. Map out the buffet

I put the dishes I wanted to serve from on the table in a logical way with sticky notes to show what food belonged where. It saved me the headache of last minute plate transfers or re arrangement.

5. Deep breathing for sanity

Things are bound to go wrong, especially with such a large number! Regardless of if you think you over baked the cake, or if you forgot the garnish, don’t beat yourself up. People are grateful to be invited to a nice social event and aren’t going to leave over a missed parsley cluster.  

If you think large scale cooking is overwhelming, start by having a co-hostess! Tag team in the kitchen, and before you know if you’ll be the one inviting over the masses to eat.