First buffet help please

[NCkitchen]

It's only for 12 people, but I'm not the best cook! So could do with some input please.

This is what I have planned so far...

I don't have skills to do much homemade 😞

Homemade:

• creamy chicken vol au vents
• bbq chicken bites
• devil's on horseback
• Italian bread balls
• chilli (veggie /bean)
• gammon

Frozen shop bought:

• Mini quiches
• Mozzarella sticks
• Pigs in blanket
• Lamb kofkas
• Potatoes wedges
• Chicken wings spicy
• Prawn things

Other

• Pulled pork
• Salmon Blinis
• Nice Bread /buns
• Salad (with tomatoes, cucumber, feta)
• Potatoes
• Various sauces/dips

(Later in the night I'll serve cheese/ charcuterie board, and pizzas)

is there anything missing?
Is the balance ok?

My main worry is that most things will have to be served cold as I'll probably need to do 2 oven sessions. Are things like cold pigs in blanket OK cold?

What would you say DEFINITELY has to be hot ? (and i'll do that batch last in the oven)

obviously chilli bean would be warm in a tureen type thing.

Could I do the hamgammon joint the day before or do it in the morning? as I'll need the oven space later

Thanks so much, really appreciate any tips!

Looks a lovely spread.

Maybe add something sweet. Fruit skewers, chocolates and/or some bought mini puddings like pavlova etc?

Oooh yes I forgot desserts! Thank you

Sounds great. What's devils on horseback ?

The honest truth? You have way too much variety. You are making life very difficult for yourself and it will end up a bit of a mishmash of things that really don’t go well together.
Start with the basics.
Will you have space to seat everyone or will people be standing?
Do you have any dietary requirements to cater for?
Is this lunch or dinner?

I think you need to decide are you doing a meal? Served help yourself style with a variety of sides.
Or a buffet.

At the moment you have both which makes for some odd combinations. Chilli and vol au vents is kind of weird.

I think it would probably be easier to do a main dish. The chilli would be be ideal. A meat and veggie version.
Keep your wedges. Also serve tortilla chips, salsa,sour cream guacamole.
A chopped Mexican salad and maybe a green salad. If you wanted another dish you could add in a couple of quasedilla. (Make in advance and reheat in oven.

Or, Do away with the chilli and pulled pork and serve gammon (fine done the night before. Serve with breads, potatoes, salads.

Or pick of each type of bite size snack
2 of your chicken options
2 veggie options
2 meat
2 fish options
And serve with breads, salads.

@AtleastitsnotMonday

The honest truth? You have way too much variety. You are making life very difficult for yourself and it will end up a bit of a mishmash of things that really don’t go well together. Start with the basics. Will you have space to seat everyone or will people be standing? Do you have any dietary requirements to cater for? Is this lunch or dinner?

I think you need to decide are you doing a meal? Served help yourself style with a variety of sides.
Or a buffet.

At the moment you have both which makes for some odd combinations. Chilli and vol au vents is kind of weird.

I think it would probably be easier to do a main dish. The chilli would be be ideal. A meat and veggie version.
Keep your wedges. Also serve tortilla chips, salsa,sour cream guacamole.
A chopped Mexican salad and maybe a green salad. If you wanted another dish you could add in a couple of quasedilla. (Make in advance and reheat in oven.

Or, Do away with the chilli and pulled pork and serve gammon (fine done the night before. Serve with breads, potatoes, salads.

Or pick of each type of bite size snack
2 of your chicken options
2 veggie options
2 meat
2 fish options
And serve with breads, salads.

Agreed. You're taking on too much and it's not necessary.

Thanks for the input. I see what you mean.

I guess I was trying to offer a few substantial bits (chilli, pulled pork, gammon) as not everyone likes nibbly food, and then lots of nibbly bits to cater for different tastes

I'll have rethink/slim things down

Desserts from Iceland:

• Iceland 64 (approx.) Dessert Platter

• 10 Patisserie Selection

Far too many things. You'll either end up with a spread for 50 people, or only enough of each thing for 2 people to have it.

It's better to have a good amount of a few really good foods that go together, than a mish mash of random little plate of this and that.

Pick 2 'mains', add good bread, decent lumps of 3 cheeses, a salad and another 2 or 3 sides that go nicely. Looks a lot more tempting and grown-up.

I'm definitely a "feeder" so that's probably where I've gone wrong with too many options! Thanks again

I’d say to have too much variety on your list. If you produce all of your list, you're going to need to spend most of your time in the kitchen, which isn’t the point of a party.

Decide if your guests are going to be sitting down to eat with cutlery, or if they will be standing eating finger food. That will help you narrow down your list of food.
Also what time is the event, will they need a substantial meal, or will they have had dinner at home before your event?

You say you’ll serve cheese/charcuterie & pizza later in the evening, that will probably extend your event by at least a couple of hours, so think about what time you want your event to finish. Perhaps serve just mugs of soup to signal the close of the event?

I always try and make a buffet easy to eat for my guests, as in physically. So they only require one hand with a fork to eat. Bite sized slices of meat, nothing that will require having to put your plate down and cut with a knife and fork. Stuff that can be eaten from a napkin. No waste, so nothing with a wrapper or a cocktail stick.

That makes sense @baublebuns

Think I'll reduce the amount of options but double up on qty.

Starting 6pm
Thinking 10/11pm Charcuterie and cheese to get us through till 2am as it's for New Year's Eve