To ask how you serve food to guests?

[sweeneytoddsrazor]

Do you put the main part of the meal on the plate, then all the accompaniments in serving plates for people to help themselves? Do you put things in separate dishes so each person has their portion of peas in a ramekin or somesuch.? Or do you put it all on their plate?

The reason I asked is because we were at a friends for dinner, main was put on a plate everything else on platters for people to help themselves (which is exactly what I would have done as a host) However one guest asked for a separate bowl to put her chips in because she didn't want to risk any juice from her salmon touching them. Hist provided a bowl for her but there was then much (friendly) discussion over whether or not things should be served in separate dishes or not.

Kitchen suppers is serving dishes on the table and tuck in.

Dinner will, on the whole be a plated starter (so it is presented properly), a plated main protein but maybe vegetables served separately. Pudding is usually plated but if it comes with custard or other sauce,, that goes in small jugs for each person.
I never plate cheese.

Having battled eating disorders for most of my adult life I hugely appreciate it when I’m eating in others homes when they allow guests to serve themselves at the table. It puts me in control and allows me to feel more relaxed. I literally refused to eat anywhere other than my own home for years as I was so afraid of being served food I couldn’t eat. So in my own home I always decant into serving dishes (actually I have a lot of serving dishes that go straight from oven to table.)

Serving dishes for both family & guest dinners. Mil always used to plate up & I found it quite controlling. It was a set amount & you could never have seconds or refuse anything.

I favour big generous bowls of things plonked on the table for everyone to help themselves. We entertain a lot but I can't be arsed with formal dinner parties nowadays.

Depends on meal and how many guests, but in general, all is put on the dining table and guests help themselves. I have a tiny kitchen, whereas the dining table is large, and extends, so I can fit more on it.

I also have guests that have differing requirements. 1 friend is 6ft 8 and will eat several helpings, whereas another would only have 1. I wouldn't want our taller friend to feel embarrassed and have to ask multiple times for more food. He can just help himself. Plus, sometimes people are veggie or dont like a certain dish, so helping themselves is easier all around.

OP- was the person allergic to salmon or veggie? Was there a reason they wanted it seperate?

I let guests serve themselves for every part of the meal

That way they can avoid anything they don't like so much

• instead of having what I think they ought to eat !

If I hadn't enough space at the table, I'd bring in a trolley for the dishes

Never plate up. Would find it presumptuous to suggest that I know how much each individual guest is going to want to eat.

Surely the result is likely to be either that some guests won't get as much as they want or that somebody else will either be forced to eat more than they like or waste food by leaving it on the plate?

The only thing I would plate is a starter.

As an Aspie, I've several weird requirements about food,
so if it was plated for me, I'd probably be very stressed about leaving most of it and looking rude

If I serve up a fish meal I will serve in plates. Everything else goes on the table for people to help themselves. I always prefer to put my own dinner out rather

Than someone put it out for me.

I've heard in real life and read on here quite a few posh people complaining about food being dished up for them, but lots of people just don't have the space for lots of serving dishes on the table, or on a separate sideboard/buffet furniture.

I don't get the salmon and chips issue at all. If the person likes both things, why can't they touch?

I do plate up for my family. I know what my husband and kids like and how much they are likely to eat.

Everything is put on the table in serving dishes and people help themselves. Obviously not carefully arranged starters and individually made puddings such as brandy snap baskets.

This is how one teaches one's children basic table manners and from day one they are dissuaded from touching shared food with fingers and from being greedy pigs who will take more than they can eat.

It's utterly basic.

@Elouera no the guest was having salmon and she wanted chips with it but she didn't want her chips on the same plate as the salmon she wanted them in a separate dish.

She was a guest. Let her have the chips on a separate plate. Many restaurants serve them in a separate bowl nowadays.

Depends what it is, curry and rice - help themselves. Sunday roast, I’ll serve the meat.

It's better to let people serve themselves. I've been served enormous portions as a guest before, including foods I don't like, and it's awkward when you can't finish your dinner or have to choke down every mouthful.

It depends on the meal and guest. We have a couple of relatives who would be very selfish when serving themselves; regardless of how much is being cooked. They might take 3/4 of a platter of something just for them

For big family dinners (10+) we always have buffet style.
Everything laid out on the side in the kitchen so people can help themselves and go back for seconds. ‘Form an orderly queue’ called in a loud voice from the kitchen is usually enough to get them all running!

Depends on the food and the number of guests. Under 4 people I tend to think it's easier to plate up. But when DP's family come, there's no choice. If you don't plate up, whoever gets enough food starts eating immediately, and if they've finished something before everyone else gets a look in, they'll take seconds. So, we plate up for everyone, even if it's a simple meal and/or a lot of people, because otherwise you have to deal with someone looking for thirds before you've finished eating.

Everything on the table, then the dishes go round the table for everyone to serve themselves.

Occasionally (for family) I'll 'stage' things in the kitchen (kind of like a buffet) then tell them to come serve themselves.

At no time would I ever dish up someone's meal. I wouldn't know what or how much they wanted!

Depends on who the guests are and what the meal is.

But most often in serving dishes in the middle of the table & we all help ourselves.

Main on plate put sides on table

Tell them to open up and use a catapult