Please critique my buffet menu

[SundayTulips]

Hi all, we’re cooking for and hosting a buffet for between 20-36 adults next month (depending on RSVPs). We want it to be well done but not fussy (ie really high quality ingredients done well but not in a faffy way). There will be a number of vegetarians to cater for. For that number of people I can’t do too much hot food as don’t have the oven space to keep it all warm. Guests are international and fancy!

I was thinking:

Home made dips - baba ganoush, beetroot, red pepper plus crackers/flatbreads, fresh focaccia and oils

Rare roast beef fillet, cold, sliced, with horseradish sauce on the side
Marinated roast chicken thighs (anyone have a knockout recipe?)
Spinach and feta borek
I need another veggie main. I was thinking a frittata or similar but would love ideas

Straciatella and heirloom tomato salad with basil
Baby new potatoes with herbs
Giant couscous and roast vegetable salad (any dressing recipes are so welcome!)
Roasted white asparagus with aioli

Probably eton mess and brownies for pudding

We haven’t included fish as wanted to be able to focus on a few things done really well, although if suddenly half our guests turn out to be pescatarian I may need to rethink this. If so I would probably do a big bowl of white fish ceviche or similar

A roasted side of salmon is always a good shout. Any vegans?
I do a balsamic dressing on couscous & roasted veg salad.

Chicken thighs are fussy, I’d do a large ham/ gammon, and/ or salmon

I am not sure on vegans. It’s possible there will be one. I can ensure that all salads and dips (bar the tomato) are vegan and possibly do a vegan Borek

If you need to go down the fish route, you could cook a large salmon the day before or even just put some smoked salmon on a plate decorated with something like dill.

You're going to hate me, nothing wrong with your choices, but I'd really want fish.

Add a cheese board and you’re done!

I did want to do one warm dish and thought chicken thighs would hold up the best to being kept warm in the oven and can be cooked all in one tray easily.

I didn’t really feel like ham or gammon fitted that well with the rest of the menu. I don’t want it to be too English. Potentially a large joint of Spanish jamon for people to serve themselves may work but I thought it might slow things down.

Interesting, thank you. I wonder how many others feel the same way. The guests are my husbands colleagues and their partners so I don’t know them well at all. Maybe a whole side of smoked salmon could work…

I wouldn't eat any of that except the chicken thighs so can't help sorry

Obviously you need prawn vol au vents 😂

What sort of thing would you eat at a buffet? Not even any of the sides?

It all looks fantastic and I would be happy with that as a foodie. but agree a fritata and cheese board would be a nice addition to fill out the veggie options.

Another option is to have fajita or pitta so people can stuff them themselves?

If it's up to 36 people presumably they won't all be seated at a table? I would make it finger food only, that can be easily eaten standing up, or sitting down occasionally here and there, if you see what I mean.

It's not elegant to be gnawing on a chicken thigh without the aid of a knife and fork.

Roast beef slices, etc, again only if there is seating.

All your food does sound lovely!

@SundayTulips , please make sure all cheese is suitable for vegetarians and don’t underestimate the amount of vegetarian food you provide because while the meat eaters can and will eat the vegetarian offerings the vegetarians can’t eat the meat. I went to a party once with an extensive buffet and the host had calculated that 10% of guests were vegetarian and therefore provided 10% of the buffet suitable for us. By the time I got to the buffet, which was not particularly late there was literally nothing left bar some lettuce which had been used as garnish for me to eat.

This went down very well at a party we had last year and my thread about it has run for months with new people trying it out and loving it. Would keep warm very easily. I can't remember if the recipe is vegan as given, but it very easily could be.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/food_and_recipes/4941260-ottolenghis-confit-chickpeas-anybody-made-it?

We are planning to hire additional tables and plates etc so everyone should have a seat. This was also a concern of mine!

Your menu sounds great, by the way!

Oh this looks lovely- I'd be very happy. Just my bag.

Are people going to be sitting down to eat or standing up? If the latter, don't do chicken thighs.

Nigella's aubergine involtini would be a nice veggie option- you can make it all ahead and just put it in the oven before serving. I'd suggest doing a lot of the veggie stuff as meat eaters will eat it as well.

Sounds lovely. May I cheekily ask for your borek recipe?

Maybe cure a piece of salmon yourself and make gravadlax? It's not difficult to do and can be prepared in advance.

More dog needed! Lol, just joking! Sounds nice but you should have a lot less for 36 people.

I would eat everything with the exception of the chicken (I do eat meat I just don’t like chicken on the bone!), loads of choice and besides, honestly, there more people there are, the less people will eat!

It does sound nice but I agree that unless everyone will be seated at a table chicken thighs are messy and fiddly, also meat that has to be cut up such as the beef slices, but you could make the slices very small so just a fork is needed. Beetroot dip has potential to be very messy if people are eating one-handed, standing etc too. I'd like a fish option but don't feel it's essential.

How about falafel as another veggie option?

Sure! https://turkishstylecooking.com/spinach-borek.html

x-posted re seats. That does sound better but quite a few people I know will avoid meat on the bone, we were talking about it at work recently.

thanks! People will definitely be seated.
I love falafel but think unless it’s very freshly made it can be a bit dry