Buffets are a relaxed, far more stress-free alternative to hosting a sit-down dinner. But with everyone crowding around the table and picking food, it can be challenging to know how to lay everything out to be easily accessible whilst still looking show-stopping.
It might be tempting to push your buffet table against the back wall to give the illusion of more space for mingling but doing this will block the flow of movement around the room. Pull your table away from the wall, so all four sides are within reach, and people can move around the table rather than blocking up one end. This way, food queues will be shorter, and there won’t be a bottleneck around the dining area.
By setting plates on only one side of the table, you’re creating a clear starting point – preventing two queues from forming that meet in the middle. Ensure you set out relevant serving apparatus around each dish – for example, tongs for salads, forks for meats, or cake and pie lifters for quiches and desserts. At the other end of the table, lay out your cutlery. That way, guests aren’t trying to juggle plates and cutlery whilst serving, and nobody is picking up a spoon they don’t need in the rush to move the line along.
Separating drinks and food gives your guests more space to set down their food whilst choosing a beverage. It also helps to prevent spillages over your food. This way, you’ll also have a larger space for more comprehensive drink options.
When hosting a buffet, it’s essential to keep allergies in mind and let guests know exactly what they’re eating. Use label cards to note what each dish is, whether it’s vegan or vegetarian and whether it contains allergens such as peanuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, etc. It would help if you also ensured that foods for those with special dietary requirements are kept separate to avoid cross-contamination as people pick up food across the table.
Choosing your serving dishes and platters is easier when you have a theme in mind. For example, foil trays are great for preventing breakages if you’re hosting a kid’s party. If you’re after something more rustic, wooden boards lend a natural country charm to your dining table. Modern and sleek events with an element of formality would benefit from porcelain or china servers.
People tend to fill up their plates early in the buffet queue. Make sure people choose a variety from across the table by laying starters first, such as crudites and blinis, then main courses, like salads or seafood and meat platters. Finish the table off with your dessert dishes last. If you’re not serving dessert foods, you can place items you have less of at the end under the impression people would’ve stacked their plates with the more plentiful options at the beginning of the table.
Now you’ve thought about the logistics, you can think about the overall décor. Think about whether you want to lay a tablecloth that fits with your theme, or want to create a subtle, modern look with a table runner. If you’ve got space, consider filling any sparse gaps on the table with foliage, flowers, or ornaments. Keep them short to reduce the likelihood of them being knocked over. Otherwise, you could scatter flower petals or confetti on the table before laying out your food.
For more ideas for the kitchen and your next event, why not browse the articles below or explore our full Cooking and Dining collection?
