Considering treating your guests to a delectable buffet at your next party? Here at Chef Lekker, we know from experience that buffets are anything but boring!
Buffet service is very versatile and can be used on location at a venue, restaurant, or at home. We do a lot of buffet catering for weddings, and also love working with them when serving traditional holiday food.
There are a variety of buffet catering styles you can choose from. In this post, we’ll give you a quick overview of our four favourites. Let’s dive in!
Top 4 Buffet Catering Ideas For an Unforgettable Party
For a quick glimpse of the 4 buffet styles in action, check out our 2-minute video below.
1. Tried and true classic buffet service
For our first buffet service style, the food is arranged on a separate table where guests can take a plate and serve themselves. There are a variety of enticing food options, including hot dinners, sandwich lunch buffets, and more. This type of buffets are the most common used, because it can suit a wide variety of settings.
2. Fun, interactive food stations
In this dynamic set up, chefs prepare the food in front of the guests. This is an entertaining, exhibition-oriented cooking style. Stir-fries or wok stations work great here. Pancakes and omelets are also popular crowd-pleasers. Food station catering can be used with larger events and venues that do not have kitchen access.
3. Not-your-average cafeteria service
The cafeteria service style is similar to the buffet service option. The difference is, guests stand in line but do not help themselves. Instead, chefs or buffet cooks stand behind the table to serve and interact with the guests. This option is an excellent way to control portion sizes and speed up the service.
4. Cozy family-style dinner party
For family style catering service, guests are seated, and the food is served on big platters or trays to share. This is perfect for parties with big tables, for holiday celebrations, or for gatherings focused around traditional menus.
There you have it! Our 4 favourite buffet styles choices to help you create a memorable party.
Ready to talk about the perfect food service style for your next event? Contact us for a free catering quote.