Food and Entertaining

The Theme Sports events and holidays are popular themes. Themes help determine what people should wear, what food you should serve, how to decorate, and activities to do.

The Guest List The number of people invited should fit comfortably in the amount of space available. Guest list should fit your cooking skills and available equipment.

The Invitations Informal parties by include a spur-of-the- moment verbal invite. Formal parties always include an invititation. ▫Include date, time, place ▫If there is a theme, make sure that it’s noted so people know what to wear or to bring appropriate attire.  Swim suit for a pool party. RSVP : French abbreviation for “please respond” ▫Lets host know how many people to expect.

The Menu The menu should reflect the theme of the party. ▫Cookies and hot chocolate would be appropriate for a sledding party. Try to choose foods your guests will like. ▫Be aware of special dietary needs and food allergies Keep in mind budget, cooking skills, time schedule, and equipment. ▫You may ask guests to bring a dish to pass

Appetizers Small, light foods to stimulate the appetite. Appetizers are easy to make in advance. Try to use a variety of colorful food when picking you appetizers. Arrange food attractively when serving it to guests.

Meal Service American or Family Style: The host fills serving dishes in the kitchen and takes them to the table. Diners serve themselves as they pass the serving dishes around the table. Dessert may be served at the table or from the kitchen. Russian or Continental Service: Most formal- Serving dishes are never placed on the table. Waiters serve guests filled plates of food, one course at a time.

English Service: One of the hosts fills plates at the table and passes them from guest to guest until everyone is served. Works best with small groups. Compromise Service: The salad or dessert course are often served from the kitchen. Other courses, the host fills the plates and passes them around the table. One person acts as waiter to clear one course and bring in the next.

Blue Plate Service: The host fills plates in the kitchen and carries them to the dining room. The host may offer second helpings at the table or refill plates in the kitchen. Buffet Service: A dining table, a buffet, or another surface may hold the serving dishes and utensils, dinnerware, flatware, and napkins. The guests serve themselves from the buffet. Works best with large crowds.

Host’s Responsibilities Clean the house, make sure you have fresh soap and clean towels in the bathroom, a spot for them to hang their coats. Introduce guests to one another, think of conversation starters for people that have just met. ▫“Mary, I would like you to meet Keri. Keri worked as a camp counselor last summer.” Plan an activity to break the ice. Circulate with guests instead of talking to one or two close friends the whole time.

Host-Waiting on the Table Clear the table in a counterclockwise direction, beginning with the person seated to your right. Serve a new course in the same manner. When serving or clearing plates, you should stand at the guest’s left and place or remove the plate with your left hand. This will avoid a possible collision with the water glass on the right.

Guest’s Responsibilities Always answer an invitation asap. Arrive at the party at designated time. ▫Arriving too early can disrupt last minute preparations. ▫Arriving too late can be the cause of a ruined meal. Follow house rules and always be courteous. Use table manners and etiquette.

Outdoor Entertaining Picnics- food can be prepared at home and transported to the picnic site, or food can be made at the picnic site. If transporting foods, it is important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Restaurant Basics Reservations make it much easier to assure you and your company will be served on time and in a comfortable manner. Entrée- Main course Table d’hote: There is one price for an entire meal. ▫Usually including salad, bread, a main course, and side dishes. A la carte: Menu items that may be ordered separate from the meal.

Paying the Bill It is always best to know in advance who is paying the bill. When someone invites a person to go out for a meal, the person extending the invite generally pays. Dutch or Dutch treat means each person pays for his/her meal. Tip/gratuity: paid to wait staff for their service. ▫With larger groups, it is sometimes automatically included.

Tips How much should you tip? ▫15% of your bill for average service On a $20 bill, how much should you leave? $3 On a $30 bill, how much should you leave? $4.50

Different Types of Restaurants Fast food- Quick, inexpensive meals. Limited menu items. Most food is fried. Cafeterias- Variety of food places along a serving line. Carry a tray to collect your food, and pay at the end of the line. Buffets- Similar to cafeteria, however customer can return for more food as often as they’d like.

Family restaurant- Casual, comfortable dining. Prices are reasonable. There are a variety of popular menu items. Formal restaurant- Elegant dining atmosphere. Guests should dress formally. Due to higher quality of food and excellent service, these are more expensive. Specialty restaurant- Focus on specific types of foods. They come in all price ranges. ▫Pizza parlor, steak house, ethnic restaurants, etc.

How to set a table??? With your group, decide what a proper place setting should look like.

Basic Table Setting