The perfect way to serve food for an outdoor garden party is through a buffet. When feeding a decently sized crowd, timing is key and is very much difficult to get right. You don’t want to be running in and out of the house every time a new meal is to be served. A buffet will allow the guests to help themselves as they please, and all you need to do is restock the food when it is near ending. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to set up the perfect buffet for a garden party.
1. Location
Having a smooth flowing and seamless buffet all depends on where you set it up. You need to choose a place for the setup where the food will remain fresh and keep it easy to reach for the guests. To avoid overcrowding and constant movement, place the buffet near the house. But not too near since you don’t want people blocking the entrance. The buffet should be easy to move around. Place foods in a way such that they are easy to refill, grilled food near the grill, all entrees in one place and mains in another, cold food near the house entrance, etc. All cutlery and napkins should be at one end and the buffet should begin at another.
2. Drinks and Condiments
To avoid spillage of drinks on the main buffet table, it’s a good idea to have a separate juice and beverage bar. This also makes it easier for guests to access the drinks, they won’t have to wait around just to get a glass of wine. You may also want to have different stations set up for water.
Rather than having people go inside the house every time they feel thirsty, simple outdoor filters or coolers filled with bottled water will do the trick. The best drinks for a summer garden party are light and sugary. For condiments, consider placing two trays at the end of either side of the buffet. This way people won’t have to wait in line. Homemade condiments are always a plus, and if the theme of the party is more a bit on the formal side, a little tea nook with pastries and tea or a wine bar with a charcuterie board will leave your guests impressed.
3. On-Spot Cooking
While grilling and preparing food on the spot is a great way to bond with your guests, it isn’t as easy to do with a bunch of hungry people waiting to fill their stomachs. It is better to have your food all prepared and set up in advance. To make the party more engaging you could serve the food later in the day, maybe even ask guests to volunteer to help you get the dish outside.
All cold foods, such as salads, should be brought out last and kept away from the heat. You can place your salads on ice platters to keep them fresh. A few other helpful tips would be to set up a separate table for deserts and a space for kids, if any are attending, to have fun. There are many things that could go wrong with on-spot cooking, so it is advisable to just have the food pre-prepared or have a catering service set up the buffet.
4. Presentation
Good food is not the only thing that makes a garden party memorable, it makes for the overall ambiance. You want your guests to be able to enjoy the atmosphere, relax and rejuvenate, socialize and have fun. The theme of the party sets the mood and tone for the rest of the day, and decoration has a major influence on this. You don’t need to go overboard, of course, it’s the small things that leave a lasting impression. Such as how you serve your food. What does the table clothing look like? How are the dishes presented? Are there good seating arrangements?
Answering all these questions will certainly help you host a better garden party. To enhance the wow factor, consider using flower arrangements and outdoor lights. And of course, light music is a must!
5. Clean Up
Once the party is over, the guests go home and reminisce on the time they had, but you still have to clean up the aftermath. Cleaning is easy if everything is taken into account before setting up the buffet. A separate area should be designated for guests to dispose of paper plates, or a place for them to set their used utensils. You can soak your utensils in dish soap water overnight to make cleaning easier the next day. Avoid using plastic as much as possible so that you won’t find it dispersed all over your garden the next day, and have trash cans placed throughout the garden so guests can easily locate them and discard things appropriately.
There is no better place to have a buffet than at a garden party. They are a great way to serve your guests without burdening yourself. So, keep these tips in mind for the next time you plan on hosting a garden party.