So, unsurprisingly given that I am a caterer, I cook for (probably) larger groups of people than your average Joe! But occasionally, this task will befall said average Joe - and just like public speaking, or going to the dentist - will strike fear in his heart.
Never fear, Joe - I’m here to tell you: it’s not as hard as it looks, and these are my unsolicited tips to make it that little bit less daunting:
Lists are your best friend
Make them! I don’t care where; on your notes app, in Notion, on the back of a napkin. Make lists for tasks, for shopping, for delegating. And tick them off as you go. Nothing beats the smugness that comes with a completed job.
Google Sheets has some pretty good templates for this, which I use religiously. And I love the notes app with the little tick function, for on-the-go smug.
Have all your recipes in one place
There’s nothing more chaotic than having 5 recipes book marked, 12 open browser tabs, and an Tik Tok recipe playing on loop in the background. Create an online document, and copy & paste them all in there. If they’re in a recipe book, simply take a photo - and use the copy + paste function on your phone to load it into your running file. I’m sure you can use AI for all of this, but I’m not quite on board with that yet.
Make sure you have enough serving vessels (& implements)
This might seem obvious, but if you’re not used to cooking for a crowd - it might be that you don’t have a readily available collection of large platters, or enough wine glasses for 12. In this instance: beg, borrow & steal - or make a trip to your local op shop. Mixing & matching is part of the charm.
It’s also a good idea to pre-plan what vessel you’ll use for what dish. This will save you from plating up on something too small, or too large, and therefore leaving more washing up to do at the end. And don’t forget about serving implements; tongs, ladles, salad servers - you’ll need a few!
Consider how your menu works together, and if you can - test it!
While your favourite foods might be; sashimi, cheeseburgers, cacio e pepe & pad thai - it doesn’t mean they’ll all work together on a menu! Try to consider how the flavours will mingle, how the menu will flow, and how you want your guests to feel.
If this seems too hard - a lot of good cookbook authors will have menu recommendations already planned out for you! Just flick to the back pages and let their talents do the work.
Prep as MUCH as you can in the days leading up
A salad dressing that can be make ahead of time? Do it! A slow cooked lamb shoulder you can whack in the oven and forget about for 8 hours? Sold! An online grocery order, or click and collect? ADD TO CART!
People want to spend time with you, not a frazzled version of the Naked Chef - so as much as you can humanly possibly prep ahead of time, do it. You’ll thank yourself later. And this includes prepping your outfit, make up, hair (if this is important to you). Cooking always takes longer than you think - so try and have these components done, ideally hair & make up before you start - and then have your outfit ready to slip on before the doorbell rings!
Same goes for setting the table, if there’s nothing stopping you from doing this the night before - get it done, sis!
Outsource, outsource, outsource
I promise you, on your deathbed you won’t regret ordering a focaccia instead of spending 24 hours making it yourself. Leave the hard stuff (oyster shucking, bread making, cake decorating) to the pros.
This includes friends: get Bob on wine, and tell Laila to bring a dessert. But make sure these are trusted confidants, no one wants a Coles cheddar, Brenda.
Alright, that’s it from me. Happy hosting!
Until next time,
Zoe x
Gosh the lists and food make me so happy! But I break out in a sweat cooking for myself let alone a crowd ha. Bravo you!