From the champagne glass fountain to the canapes, a private party that is held in a hall or in a home is a fun and often fancy affair.
However, more often than not, those who throw the parties often present the food in a buffet layout. Why? It is cheaper, allows for a wider range of foods to be eaten and, with a bit of thought, it can look very posh!
So, how do you make a buffet of food look classy? Here are some top tips!
Add A Material Throughout
When you are looking to put a fancy buffet together, it is worth having a theme throughout the plates, cutlery, and other items. No, that’s not a joke!
Many people opt for a set theme with their buffets, and there are many private party catering options and designs to choose from. For instance, if you are offering ‘finger foods’ and want to pull off a posher theme, why not opt for silver trays? Or silver-looking trays, at least, as silver trays are pricey!
If you want a more natural look, wood can be a good option to have. Or, if the party is themed, like an under-the-sea theme, why not opt for plates and other bits that are all teal or blue?
Front To Back and Height
Of course, presentation-wise, with a buffet, big items at the back, and small ones at the front!
This will prevent spills, will allow all of the food to be shown (and eaten), and also create a sense of symmetry and order. Nothing looks worse than a buffet that is all over the place and messy!
Separate Cutlery
It is an unwritten rule that, unless they are tongs or other items that you can use to pick up the food, the cutlery like knives, forks, and spoons should be put at the end of the buffet. This will help prevent the cutlery from being dropped as people pick the food up and will ensure that everyone is aware of the cutlery that they need to eat the food they have chosen.
Drinks Included?
It is a common theme that when you have a buffet, that the drinks like wine, water, soft drinks, and juices need to be put somewhere separate. Is this always the case?
In a word, no. You can include the drinks for your party on the buffet table if you are creative. For instance, if you have pork dishes at your buffet, you can put red wine near these plates to suggest that the best wine to have with pork is red. The same rule applies to fish dishes, except the wine would be white! Just make sure that all alcohol is out of reach of any children.
With fruit and soft drinks they can be best placed near the desserts or other sweet parts of the buffet. After all, they pretty much go with everything and prevent the person from needing to carry their glass while they put food on their plate.
