Catering for a large crowd! 40ish!

[maldivemoment]

Considering a winter garden party for husbands birthday. It’s in December so will prob get marquee for garden. (We’re living in a do-er upper so indoors out of the question)

Anyone done anything similar? Any top tips? Fool proof recipes to feed a large crowd?( We have plenty of those heat tray type things so fairly simple to serve/keep food warm for the duration)

Thank you in advance

I say ‘marquee’ as if we live on some sort of country estate!
Think ‘large area of derelict garden currently housing a trampoline, 2 basketball nets & 3 go-karts!’

Either curries or chillies are good for crowds. Meat and veg versions. Then go to town with the sides and extras. So if I was doing curry I'd do chicken, a Dhal, and a cauliflower and sweet potato curry, rice, naan, onion bhajis, popodoms, mango chutney, raita.

Chilli I'd do one beef and one veg and bean. Rice, grated cheese, salsa, tortilla chips, sour cream, possibly wraps.

Hire a village hall then food as PP

Worth asking your local scouts if they would lend you (and erect and remove) a mess tent in return for a donation instead of hiring a whole marquee.

Pulled pork also a fairly viable large crowd dinner, to add some more choice to the. Hilli, also ratatouille.

Or could even get a half hog? Quite a lot of places round here will supply a machine (+ hog or half hog) to DIY if you want.

maybe I'm a massive wuss, but honestly OP I would probably show my face for 1 hour and make a quick exit, socialising outside in December (marquee or not) is too cold for me to want to hang around long. I love going to the fireworks, but even on 5th November I'm freezing when I get home and desperate to warm up.

Something like a smooth spiced butternut squash soup that would be really warming and you could sip from a cup while keeping gloves on!

Baked potato and lashings of toppings- slow cooker or chilli, bean chilli, cheese, sour cream etc. mulled wine to keep warm (also in a slow cooker), presume some kind of heating!!

Depends on who's coming, but if you're going spicy (curry, chilli etc) you could consider having a non spicy option too, lots of people with gastric issues can't tolerate spice at all and some elderly people just aren't keen.

Costco is your friend here. You can get delicious, huge, gateaux for around £10.

How many functioning toilets will you have by Dec?
Do you have enough plates, cutlery, glassware etc for that many people?
Do you have friends/family that can help serve, clear, start the dishwasher etc?
Do you have enough tables/chairs for that many- plus tables for the actual food?
Generally the flooring in a marquee is extra, so bare that cost in mind

A pot of mulled wine would be warming
Have you looked at buy M&S platters or getting an online costco account and ordering from there?
I'm sure one of the supermarkets used to hire glassware- maybe M&S, waitrose or sainsburys- but I can't find a link now

Thank you all so far. Much appreciated

Like a PP, I'd question the practicality of a party like that in winter. But if you're willing to throw money at the problem, a marquee with really good heaters could work. But I'd be a bit nervous attending such an event myself! I've done this in the past but we used the marquee for serving food and drinks and people were in the house. Allowed us to prioritise internal space for people and they didn't freeze to death in the 15 minutes they were outside finding food or getting a drink!

In terms of food, for a winter event, clearly curries and stews are your friend here and are the kind of food that can be made in bulk. The biggest issue of course is that 40 people is a LOT so cooking space becomes challenging. I'd struggle personally - eg if I made a lamb casserole which is what I'd probably do as it's something that goes down well and is relatively easy, I'd still have tot think about the logistics. I'd probably have to make enough for 20 people the day before perhaps then the other 20 on the day then while the "fresh" ones were being eaten, heat up the old ones. But again, I'd struggle with storing a lamb casserole that feeds 20 overnight, particularly if my fridge was full of ingredients for another 20 people lamb casserole, plus all the sides, nibbles and snacks I'd be laying out.

On that basis, I'd be inclined to hire someone to come an do a spit of some sort - a lamb spit or a big roast or something.

I've just organised an event for 80 people and we hired a bbq food truck. They came with disposable (enviro friendly) crockery and cutlery and everyone got a giant burger plus access to three different sides. It worked out at £10 a head and there was no clean up either (or the purchase of paper plates etc).

I found them on the addtoevent website. You can also hire a bar truck where people pay for their own drinks.

You could probably do the food cheaper yourself but if you add in all the costs of time, clean up and stress, hiring in is worth considering 😊

If you're happy to throw money at it I would hire a hog roast that could be served in the marquee. Have lots of big bowls with crisps, dips etc. and then some big shareable desserts.

Trying to cater for 40x people sounds hard work, particularly if you have multiple options for curry, chilli, stew etc. If you could borrow several slow cookers it could be doable. Baked potatoes and crusty bread are probably easier carb options than cooking rice in large quantities.

Also bear in mind that whilst it's for 40x people you probably need bigger quantities - at buffets people will often take a spoonful of meat curry, one of a veggie option, one of a side dish, then try the chilli as well...

PPs have made a good point about the practicality of being outside in December without any heating. You'd maybe also need to hire tables/chairs and provide throws/blankets - I wouldn't want to be just standing in the garden for several hours.

Even if the house isn't completed, would you be able to decorate a couple of rooms with fairly lights and candles and have some indoor space? I'm sure people won't mind if it's a bit rustic and unfinished.

Please don't do a hog roast - always a disappointment!
I used to cater for rugby teams after matches (about 40 kids) and chilli was the easiest and a meat and veggie one as mention upthread a good option. Serve with rice, leave bowls of shredded cheese and sour cream for people to add if they wish.
To supplement that I'd do big salads and/or garlic bread.

If I can't sit properly, I'd need finger food as impossible to juggle drink plus plate plus fork.
I know it's suggested on here for every meal solution ever, but I really have never eaten a nice chilli, they are all vile, so I'd go with anything apart from chilli (that you can eat standing up).

I don't think you can rule chilli out as an option just because you've never eaten a good one! That's more likely a reflection of your skill as a cook or the events you've eaten it at! Personally I love a good chilli and find it a good crowd pleaser.

Hire a local hall, much easier, weather proof and will have appropriate furniture.

Food, I would do baked potatoes and casseroles, curries or chilli with salads and bread.

@AtleastitsnotMonday I am an excellent cook but no matter what, who, where or how, it's rank. I appreciate I'm in the minority on MN - people always suggest 'huge pots of chilli' along with the ubiquitous 'trimmings' and the bread always has to be crusty.

@Assignedtoworryyourmother have you considered that chilli is simply a food you don't like, rather than it being objectively 'rank'?

I've done this a few times for bonfire night.
I do jackets which can be cut in half for kids.
I do a carni and a veggie which is vegan.
I do mountains of grated cheese, sour cream, chopped coriander.
Some rice in case anyone doesn't like potato there's always a few who prefer that.
I have hot drinks and mulled wine and warm cordial for kids.
Dessert, I do stuff you can hold in one hand easily.
I do a really cracking chilli if I say so myself and it's easy to scale up (have done up to 100 people before, though I did use the village hall kitchen to prep that one as they have massive pans)

If someone doesn't like chilli they can have butter/cheese on their jacket. If they're really desperate and that's no good... I'd take pity and rustle up a ham sandwich or something but it hasn't happened yet. 😁

If your motive for an outdoor event is purely your house being a no-go I'd be inclined to find a community hall or whatever and have a DJ... Outdoor events can be miserable. I do a bonfire night one but that's cos the main focus is the fire!
By the time you've got a marquee you could have had an indoor venue instead.

Then you could add in a bouncy castle for adults or human hungry hippo game (grabbing balls on bungee cords... Great fun with the right crowd)

Definitely hire a hall. Marquee in December does not sound like fun.

Threads like these always make you feel like you've got to cater for a million different needs. Honestly, for a party of 40 I'd probably consider catering as it's a big ask and whilst I love cooking id find it stressful when you'll also need to organise the set up of the party too. I've done one for 30, and I have two ovens which helps. I did a dahl, and a chicken curry with rice. I then bought naans, and frozen Indian party snacks and did them on big platters. Big bowls of crisps, peanuts etc. Dessert I bought in too. Good luck OP!