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Joined: Feb 2006
I actually got hired to do a big dinner party for 16. (My max is usually 8) My daughter is going to be my server since she does that as a part time job anyways.
I'm very nervous. I was so anxious to please I said yes to everything, because well I knew I could do it all.
That was until I began going over everything once I got home. The menu as it stands now is -
Starter - Lobster Ravioli in a Basil Cream Sauce
Entree - Pan seared chicken Breast with a White Wine/Dijon mustard sauce. Brown Buttered Green Beans with Pinenuts.
Dessert - Birthday Cake to be provide by Bakery.
Ok everything is great I've done these things 100 times.
But...well 16 people, 2 ravioli each. That's 32 ravioli and I had planned on doing 40 (the just incase it explodes backup)
I need a big sautee pan for the cream sauce.
I have to sear 17 chicken breasts....that's about 3 minutes per and I can get 2-3 per pan. Then all the drippings can go into one pan to make the reduction sauce. Ok...
Oh but I have cook enough green beans..that'll be 2 pots or one large.
So we have 2 pots for Pasta, 1 pan for cream sauce, 1 for chicken reduction sauce, 1 (possibly 2) for the green beans...that brings us 6 pots/pans. She has a small 4 burner stove.
And her kitchen is a beautifully remodled one. But you can tell she's not a cook. Her sink is at one end. Her stove in the middle, her ovens on the other side and her fridge is way over in a corner.
So I also realized as I'm really thinking about the food that we have way too many heavy things here. So I am going to ask her to replace the beans with a nice cold crisp salad with a pomogranate vinaigrette. (That frees up 1 or 2 pots)
Ideas or suggestions? (Yes I have learned I am the chef I am in charge of the food and must guide them to a proper menu based on kitchen layout....Hahaha)