Warm buffet ideas please!

[MaltipooMama]

Wasn't sure whether to put this here or under Christmas! My partner and I are having Christmas Day at home with our son and dog, which means on a couple of the days around Christmas we'll be having his family and my family over for a get together. So as such I've decided to buy a four tray electric buffet server but sadly have no ideas on what to put in it 😂 I'm thinking either a bolognaise or chilli in one, then if chilli maybe rice in another, but I'd like to have tasty things in all four compartments, I'll also be doing cheese and crackers with cold meats on the side. The faff/time etc isn't a problem at all as I'll enjoy cooking for everyone, but just after some really nice ideas please if anyone has any 🙏

Do you have any dietary needs to consider?

If going for chilli you could have a Mexican theme and maybe go for some sort of shredded meat in another tray and a warm bean/pepper salad or corn on the cob in the fourth. Then lots of tortillas/corn chips/taco shells on the side with bowls of cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

Jacket potatoes.
Chicken drumsticks with lemon & herb dressing.
Sausages in a honey & wholegrain mustard glaze.
Pulled pork.
Some sort of chicken, peppers, onions fajita type thing.

Pulled pork
Mac and cheese
Bean chilli
Dhal
Korma
Thai green/red curry
Stir fried veggies
Egg fried rice
Beef in oyster/soy sauce
Fried pepper and onion with spicy chicken in another.
Fried potato. Bravas, dauphnoir, spicy wedges, diced and fried with rosemary and parmesan.
Sticky sausages

Ooh these are great, thank you! Now I want a second buffet server to make as maybe of these as possible 😂 also should've said no allergies/intolerances/non-meat eaters etc to consider which makes things slightly easier!

A four tray electric buffet server you say???

Sounds fab!

My dream selection:

How about doing that slow cooked ham in coke recipe of Nigella's? ( reader- do not mock until you have tried it) Carve and put in one of the compartments with loads of the cooking liquid

Chicken thighs keep warm better than drumsticks which can go a bit gnarly - do thighs in whatever sauce you fancy ( how about Felicity Cloake's chicken riesling - Google it - recipe in Guardian recently)

Roast pots and or creamy mash. Yes that has been had with the Xmas roast but who doesn't love them.

I am also thinking of a really earthy bean type soup like ribollita- so easy to make and delicious and not meaty apart from the stock which must be a good one or the dish will fail. Allegra mCEvedy has a great recipe. It's gorgeous.

Or a lasagne.

I would steer clear of vats of chilli and dhal personally.

Then veg separately.

I'd go for a chicken jalfrezi in one, a cauliflower and chickpea curry in another, rice in another and Bombay potatoes in the last. Naan, popadoms and onion salad on the side, plenty of mango chutney and raita to accompany. Could hand round some mini samosas and bhaji's as a kind of canapé/starter.