NYE buffet timings

[BrownStripePJ]

Hi

I'm having an NYE party and serving a buffet at 7pm.

It's typical buffet finger food such as chicken wings, quiches, potato wedges, croquettes, cooked sausage rolls, garlic bread etc salads, cheeses, dips etc There are a few things that need frying.

I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen too long when guests are here, but also concerned the food will have to be served cold so do I...

1. pre-cook ALL the food before they arrive and keep some of it warm in chaffers (don't have enough chaffers to keep all the food warm though)

2. pre-cook one batch of food just in time for people arriving. Spend 10 mins with people then dissappear for 30 mins to cook the rest?

Also, is it rude to serve food straight away? Or Is it OK to have cooked buffet food served cold?

What would you do? /what time would you serve food

I think I'll need to do 2 batches on the oven to do all the food

We have had a lot of NYE parties and never serve buffet food until around 9/9.30, maybe even later. In fact we ask people to arrive from around 8/8.30. Starting at 7 means a long, long evening of drinking and you want people to make to to midnight and beyond!.

Agree with the above, wouldn't serve food for atleast an hour, feels rushed and leaves a lot of time. Have an hour with guests saying hello and having a drink and then get in the kitchen for the half an hour

I also think 7.00 is far far too early - it's 5 whole hours before the main event!
Can you rethink your times at least - everyone will be pie-eyed by 10.30 if you serve the buffet at 7.00 - what time are people arriving?
We wouldn't dream of going out before 9.30...

Agree with pp’s, even if your guests arrive at 7, serve food later. Also you worry about leaving your guests for 30 mins to fry things for buffet, would it be possible to fry earlier then reheat in oven, so that you can whack them in and get back to your guests?

I think if my guests were arriving at 1900 I’d be tempted to serve nibbles (crisps, nuts, olives) or even 2 or 3 of cold canapés (e.g smoked salmon blinis, crostini with blue cheese and walnut, segments of figs wrapped in prosciutto) then your main buffet around 2100, leaving a decent cheese board out through to midnight.

Perfect. Thanks so much.

I'll go for Nibbles/canapes on arrival.
Food at 9pm