Christmas luncheon

[justasking111]

We're pensioners now with various health issues I've done some asking around for an outside caterers to do the food. I can do the cleaning, China, glassware, provide drinks, but I really can't do all the food too. I'd like around 40 people different generations to attend 31st December lunch time then leave. OH 73 may insist we cater all. He's a good cook for 8 but 40?

Money is not an issue so am I being unreasonable to hand over the food to professionals?

Of course not. If you can afford it why not?

You are sensible and can afford it. Stand your ground. Get the caterers to provide drinks, glasses, flatware, cutlery the works, and some will come and serve, clean up and take the stuff away. Perfect.

Then you can enjoy the event just as much as everyone else.

If he wants to do the food let him do the food. But you've decided you don't want to do it so you can stay out of his way (with a nice glass of sherry).

If you’re prepared to pay, I don’t see the problem. However, if you haven’t found/booked someone to do it already, you might struggle to find someone to do it next month on NYE on a Sunday.

How much were you thinking it would cost you?

You have the money. Outsource it and spend your time and money enjoy the company of and entertaining your guests, and they you. If your husband is insistent on doing so he can make some additional dishes and ensure there is appropriate clean serving ware ready and dish it up himself.

Of course not. Sounds very sensible.

A compromise might be to buy everything frozen from Cook or similar. Then they just need to be cooked on the day. They do some great puddings too that just need defrosting too.

Alternatively, have a buffet and ask everyone to bring something with them.

Can you clarify, @justasking111, that you are planning this at home?

As a former chef, please don't try to do this yourself if you can outsource. You'll be exhausted!

Omg why would you! Bonkers. Have you left it too late though?

Not unreasonable at all.

I think the whole thing sounds delightful, can I come?

Yes at home, family member professional caterers happy to do it

That's my thought I've a chef owner in the family happy to do it. OH is the stumbling block 🙈

You’d need a vast amount of oven space for the Cook idea to work. Just get it catered @justasking111.

You say you 'would like' 40 people of different generations to come for lunch on New Year's Eve. Have you actually invited them yet? Because it's not that far off and I'm sure some of them will have plans.

Are you envisaging a traditional sit-down lunch with everyone eating a meal round the table? A buffet would be totally do-able for 40 people, but serving 40 people individually at the table would be ridiculous. It's not the cooking so much as the serving. By the time the 40th person has been served, the first person's dinner will be cold - in a restaurant, you'd have chefs in the kitchen and then several professional staff serving a party that size, not two non-professionals serving AND doing the cooking.

I notice you only say your OH 'may' object to getting caterers in. Have you actually asked him yet or are you just inventing the problem before it exists?

Anyway - yes, you definitely need to get caterers in if you want to serve a sit-down lunch for 40, and you need to book them pretty damn quickly because you've left it very late for an event on 31 December. It's New Year's Eve, and even though yours is a day-time event rather than an evening one, a lot of caterers will be fully booked and/or won't be able to get enough staff on that day.

I've the nod from the caterers just have to broach with OH. It would be buffet style

If you have someone available who can do the catering - and presumably you can afford to pay someone - absolutely yes you should!

Just tell your husband you are not prepared to do all the cooking - explain you have someone lined up to do it and don't take no for an answer!

Of course if you can afford it then why not? However because of the date I suspect that people may already have plans and may be hard to find a good caterer that isn’t already booked up. I would make sure those invited know it’s only a lunch time invite and don’t anticipate staying to ring in the NY!

Even if people who are busy can pop in for a how do and a drink that would be lovely.

I've a bad back and hip so just cleaning, prepping for the event prior will wipe me out. I just want a food fairy on the day

OP at the very least it's thoughtless and at the other end of the spectrum incredibly rude. Learn your lesson for next year. Don't cater for their whims. You sound like a lovely person, hope you have a good Christmas.