Xmas lunch for 200
Discussion
Well, 204 actually...
1000 roast potatoes... (exactly)
800 sprouts...
580 parsnips...
36 chestnut, parsnip and brie things for the veggies...
20 kilos of carrot and 10 kilos of peas...
180 pigs and 220 stuffing balls
And enough pans to regen everything and make three(why!) types of gravy
The only thing I didn't photograph was 620 slices of turkey but that's because by this point I was bored with Xmas and had lost the will to live!
1000 roast potatoes... (exactly)
800 sprouts...
580 parsnips...
36 chestnut, parsnip and brie things for the veggies...
20 kilos of carrot and 10 kilos of peas...
180 pigs and 220 stuffing balls
And enough pans to regen everything and make three(why!) types of gravy
The only thing I didn't photograph was 620 slices of turkey but that's because by this point I was bored with Xmas and had lost the will to live!
Good stuff! The hardest thing I found when making the leap from home cook to professional was quantities. Working with huge quantities adds a whole new dimension to producing good food. Sure, you can cook well, but can you cook well for loads of people, can you make sure it's hot, can you get it out on time. Even working out how much seasoning to add to large batches presents a challenge, when you start talking in handfuls not pinches.
Before I got into food I was in IT and project management so planning, organising and working through fine detail is natural to me but it has taken 3 years training at college and 20+ years to get to the point where I am really confident in my knowledge and abilities as a chef. A guy who worked for me a few years back was just a natural cook, only basic training but he could come up with some amazing things.
I'm fortunate that in my job I have control of menus, budgets etc and I spend half my time speccing up new dishes and teaching.
Its not like the buzz of a mad service but I don't miss hot sweaty nights on the pass with the Mrs waiting at home.
I'm fortunate that in my job I have control of menus, budgets etc and I spend half my time speccing up new dishes and teaching.
Its not like the buzz of a mad service but I don't miss hot sweaty nights on the pass with the Mrs waiting at home.
21TonyK said:
Before I got into food I was in IT and project management so planning, organising and working through fine detail is natural to me but it has taken 3 years training at college and 20+ years to get to the point where I am really confident in my knowledge and abilities as a chef. A guy who worked for me a few years back was just a natural cook, only basic training but he could come up with some amazing things.
I'm fortunate that in my job I have control of menus, budgets etc and I spend half my time speccing up new dishes and teaching.
Its not like the buzz of a mad service but I don't miss hot sweaty nights on the pass with the Mrs waiting at home.
I work in both private dining/catering, and restaurant environments, and know exactly what you mean. The nights on service are a buzz, but physically and emotionally draining to the point where I can't sleep for some time afterwards. There are weeks when I'll see my wife for a total of a couple of hours as we're ships that pass in the night, due to her conflicting schedule.I'm fortunate that in my job I have control of menus, budgets etc and I spend half my time speccing up new dishes and teaching.
Its not like the buzz of a mad service but I don't miss hot sweaty nights on the pass with the Mrs waiting at home.
The catering is more relaxed, more rewarding and more personal. It's no surprise that so many people go that way.
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