Cooking for lots of people- what would you prefer?

[OttolenghiSimple]

I'm cooking for 20(!) next month for a birthday dinner. Everyone eats everything apart from one veggie.

Have worked out two possible menus. Which would you prefer?

1- No starter but some canapes, then lamb curry, pilau rice, tarka dhal, chana masala, one another veg dish TBC, served as a buffet but sitting down to eat. Might have a go at some sort of bread but it's hard for so many. Can buy some popadoms and chutneys etc to have on the tables.

2- No starter but canapes, then roast beef fillet, dauphinoise potatoes, petits pois a la francaise, braised leeks. Again would probably be a buffet then seated to eat.

My thoughts- menu one has the benefit of being what the birthday-haver would most like. It's fairly easy to do as most can be made ahead and frozen. But is a curry a bit ordinary? Maybe I can add in some more celebratory elements but what? (Should add that although I love cooking Indian food and I know my friends enjoy eating it, none of us is Indian.)

Menu two feels a bit more celebratory maybe. Also v easy as can largely be done ahead. Beef fillet for 20 will be expensive. I will need to make something different for the veggie, which I know she will be fine with but I always fear a solo dish is a bit depressing and ungemütlich.

Pudding will be a giant cheesecake which I will order from the bakers so that is sorted.

You underestimate how bland some people's diets are!

Same. We batch cook, but will usually do curry on rotation, enough for three nights at least every three weeks. I use ground spices so it's fairly proper curry, not from a jar.

Curry buffet with a big Kachumba salad for some green/colour/freshness and dishoom’s
gunpowder potatoes as a “wow” side (they’re so good!)

For us it's about making the meat go further and cooking less often. So curry, bolognese, chilli, etc are staples!

I would prefer the curry, but I HATE lamb, and I can't take very spicy food so I would prefer chicken and mild, with naan, and salad as well as the other sides. Definitely not to everyone's taste 😁.