Various menus for all types of banquets

Wedding menu for a home banquet

The range of dishes for a wedding feast is varied. Both hot and cold snacks are served on the table. In addition, if desired, you can arrange an excellent dessert table. Be sure to prepare dishes from meat, fish, vegetables, mushrooms, sliced cheese, and various types of sausages for a wedding.

A wedding menu for 50 people at home may include the following dishes:

Cold appetizers

This is something that should always be a lot. Snacks and alcoholic beverages are used as snacks and snacks, so there is no need to skimp here. What you should definitely prepare: cold cuts; slicing fresh vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers); assorted salted vegetables; marinated mushrooms; cheese slices (2 types); cutting from different types of sausage (3 types); jellied tongue; liver cake; stuffed vegetables; fish platter; jellied fish; aspic; sandwiches or canapés.

Salads

They are served in small salad bowls. It is advisable to have as many different types as possible than just one in a large salad bowl. Also, some of them can be served in tartlets - small baskets of dough. Traditional salads are: “Olivier”; "Caesar"; "Herring under a Fur Coat". Nowadays, new types of salads are popular: “Mediterranean” (seafood, pineapple); “Ali Baba” (boiled chicken fillet cubes, pineapple, pepper); “Blonde” (raw smoked sausage, tomato, cheese, grated fried potatoes). It is not necessary to prepare everything according to 20-year-old standards; you can prepare any salad, especially if the wedding reception is planned to be at home. But the best option would be a variety of salads, where the main ingredients are mushrooms, meat, sausage, fish or vegetables. Advice! Give the salad a festive look on the plate, for example, arrange it in the shape of a heart and you will see that the table will look festive.

Hot dishes

The banquet menu must include main hot dishes. They can be made from meat and fish. These products can be boiled, baked, stewed, or grilled. fish with sauce, with vegetables; fried liver; cabbage rolls; (see - cabbage rolls recipe) stuffed poultry (duck, turkey, goose); pineapple chops; julienne with mushrooms or chicken; eggplant or zucchini with garlic sauce; cutlets; stuffed vegetables; grilled thighs; gefilte fish; pancakes with meat or mushroom filling; fried mushrooms; schnitzel or steak; roast or pilaf. The side dish will be boiled potatoes, rice, and vegetables. In addition, bread is served in an assortment.

Meal options

When the final list of guests for the wedding is drawn up, you need to determine how many of them are men, women and children

This is important because the number and size of dishes will vary in these cases. Men's portions are usually slightly larger than women's portions, but children's portions, on the contrary, are smaller.

In addition, it is recommended to make a separate table for children so that they do not get bored surrounded by adults.

The children's menu usually includes fewer dishes, for example, the same salads are served, but appetizers and cold cuts are abandoned. The main course is made less caloric, for example, not fried, as in adults, but boiled, while the number of desserts increases.

There are several dozen options for the holiday menu, so at first you can get lost in all this diversity. It’s easier to entrust this to wedding planners, but not every couple hires professionals to prepare the celebration, especially if it is designed for 20 people.

In order not to rack your brains for a long time, sorting through different options, you can choose something from popular dishes. An approximate wedding menu for 20 people consisting of cuts may be as follows.

Vegetable. It includes fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, bell peppers of several colors, and radishes. If you wish, you can order vegetable carving from a professional, then real masterpieces will be cut from ordinary fruits.
Meat. 2-3 types of meat delicacies are used, for example, smoked neck, carbonade, brisket, pastrami, roll, jamon, boiled pork, etc.
Sausage and cheese. 2-3 types of sausage and 1-2 types of hard cheese are cut; if desired, you can supplement the plate with Feta or Brynza cheese, cut into cubes.
Fish. Usually salted and smoked types of fish are used, which are complemented by seafood - shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, etc.

The cuts are what should be on the tables before the guests are seated. In addition, it is necessary to place light snacks on common plates. Most often these are pickles, for example, vegetables and mushrooms, as well as canapés, croutons and sandwiches. Such dishes are laid out in such a way that 1 plate is used for 6-7 people. Thus, for 20 guests, each type of common cuts and appetizers should be presented in 3-4 servings.

As for salads, it is better to make 2-3 different options, which will be served alternately. One of them is made with meat or chicken, the second with fish or seafood, the third with vegetables or mushrooms. If there are many sweet tooth lovers at the wedding, or the celebration is scheduled for the hot season, the vegetable salad can be replaced with fruit salad.

After salads, hot and cold appetizers are served, mainly from meat or fish, but there may be variations with vegetables or mushrooms. This is not a main dish and does not require a side dish, and the portions should be small. You can also organize shared plates, since not every guest will be able to finish the entire menu.

Such snacks can include aspic or jellied meat, a meat or chicken roll with the addition of mushrooms and onions, lula kebab or individual pieces of game or fish.

It is important that the food served at this stage of the banquet is not too high in calories, otherwise there is a chance that there will be leftovers from the main course. Such snacks should only maintain your appetite

The main dish is most often meat or chicken, less often fish and very rarely mushrooms. These can be steaks fried in a frying pan, chops with or without batter, portioned pieces baked in the oven or even kebab. A wedding menu for 20 people in a cafe can also include a whole dish, for example, a small pig, duck or carp. Before serving, it is cut into portioned pieces to make it convenient for guests, but the original shape is preserved for a spectacular appearance. The main dish is served with a side dish, most often potatoes, rice or vegetable stew.

Desserts can also be varied:

store-bought or hand-made candies;
cookie;
marmalade;
soufflé or mousse;
cupcakes;
sweet pancakes and pancakes;
cakes;
marshmallows;
Turkish Delight;
halva;
chuck-chuck, etc.

Sweets can be placed on the tables in common plates after the main course has been eaten, or just before the start of the banquet, placed on a separate table with a sign above it. If the desserts are portioned, such as soufflé or ice cream, then they are placed in small bowls for each guest.

Attention should also be paid to drinks. As for non-alcoholic drinks, you need to stock up on juices, sparkling and still water, and optional lemonades at the rate of 1.5 liters per person

When it comes to alcohol, girls usually prefer wine, champagne or liqueur, while men prefer strong drinks, but the situation may change depending on the tastes of the guests.

Dessert

Naturally, the most important dessert on the holiday table is the wedding cake. The weight of a piece of cake per person should be approximately 250 grams. Therefore, the total weight of the cake for a wedding menu of 50 people is about twelve and a half kilograms. The main delicacy of a wedding feast can be ordered at a pastry shop, and if you have a talent for preparing such products, you can bake a cake at home. The cake can be multi-tiered. Its important design is silhouettes of newlyweds made of mastic, edible pearls and beads. It is fashionable to decorate the product with berries, fruits, and fresh flowers. The loaf is an absolute attribute on the wedding table. For 50 people, its weight should be at least seven and a half kilograms. In addition, desserts at a wedding feast may include: ice cream; chocolate candies; tartlets with condensed milk; cake; fruit bowl (grapes, apples, peaches, oranges, bananas, kiwi, tangerines); cupcakes; souffle. Advice! As such, they begin to drink tea towards the end of the wedding banquet, so it is better to place all the sweets on a separate table along with the birthday cake, so that it does not interfere with the common table.

Beverages

At any event, not only at wedding banquets or buffets, you must take into account that there are people who drink alcoholic beverages, but there are also those who do not drink at all and you need to think about each of them. In principle, it is impossible to calculate how much guests will drink, so in this matter it is better to take more than the guests will be dissatisfied later. Non-alcoholic drinks include: fruit juice; sparkling water (sweet and mineral); fruit compote; tea; coffee. Non-alcoholic drinks for 50 guests must be at least 100 liters. Range of alcoholic drinks: champagne (1 bottle for 3 people); vodka (1 bottle for three people); wine (1 bottle for two); cognac. There may be various wine and vodka products (alcoholic cocktails, martinis, gin). But beer is not on the holiday feast menu. To hold a celebration for such a number of guests, a room is usually rented.

What to consider when creating a menu for a wedding feast When creating a menu, you should consider what foods guests eat. Are there children, elderly people, vegetarians, or people suffering from any diseases among the guests? Such a menu should also be explained by the choice of complex dietary and baby food dishes. It is necessary that all guests can choose healthy and tasty dishes from the variety of food.

To create a menu, you need to take into account the number of guests. Considering the average weight of food per person, it is easy to calculate the total weight of treats for a certain number of guests. Wedding menu for 40 people Just like for 50 guests, a wedding menu for 40 people is quite expensive. All dishes are served on small snack plates. Regarding appetizers, sausage, cheese, vegetable slices, assorted meats and fish, and pickles are served on the table. You can prepare inexpensive salads: both mixed and puff. Among hot dishes, preference is given to stuffed poultry, cutlets or schnitzels, appetizer pancakes, baked fish, and julienne. The cake is prepared weighing about eight kilograms. To save money on the holiday table, instead of a cake there can be korowai, sweets, cookies, cakes, and fruits. To create a wedding menu for 30 people, you need to calculate the average weight of each dish. To save money, it is better not to reduce portions, but to choose cheaper ingredients. Therefore, among the hot dishes, chicken fillet chops, roasts, baked mackerel, meat fingers, pancakes with mushroom filling, and grilled poultry are suitable. For cold appetizers, choose inexpensive salads, sliced raw smoked sausages, hard cheeses, sliced fresh vegetables, pickled mushrooms, and assorted pickles. The total amount of compotes, juices and sparkling waters should be at least 60 liters (2 liters per person). Champagne and vodka - 10 bottles, wine - 15. Peculiarities of holding a banquet in the summer To create a wedding menu in the summer, you need to take into account the increased temperature of this time of year. Some foods can spoil quickly in the heat. In addition, in the summer, banquets are most often held outdoors. If the wedding feast is organized outdoors, then there are other difficulties - food delivery, lack of refrigerators. Also, annoying insects somewhat spoil the holiday. To prevent certain troubles and avoid food poisoning, it is important to correctly create a list of treats. Some rules that will help make a summer wedding unforgettable: 1. If the festive feast will take place in the fresh air, portable refrigerators will be a good option. 2. When chilled drinks heat up quickly in hot weather, this problem can be solved with pieces of ice. 3. In the summer heat, preference is given to fruits and ice cream rather than creamy desserts. 4. You should remember about the bad combination of alcoholic beverages and heat. Therefore, alcohol such as vodka and cognac can be replaced with less strong ones, for example, cocktails and wine. 5. To prepare snacks and salads, you must choose ingredients that are not too fatty: chicken, lean fish, fresh vegetables, pickles, herbs. 6. A great idea would be to have tartlets and sandwiches made from herbs, olives, and fresh vegetables on the table. 7. Summer is a great time for barbecue, meat or fish on the grill. They can be easily included in the list of hot snacks for a wedding. Moreover, barbecues go very well if you decide to have a beach wedding. 8. Light desserts - soufflé, mousse and others - are also perfect for the sweet table. 9. Also in the summer, watermelon and melon are served as dessert. 10. It is important to remember to have more soft drinks.

Banquet table for other holidays In addition to weddings, banquets are held for anniversaries. Such a dinner party is ordered in cafes or restaurants on March 8, New Year, and professional holidays. The banquet can be full or partial service. Menu for a banquet for 20 people Usually, a banquet for 20 people is called mini. Below is an approximate menu for the number of people.

Types of banquets. Types of banquets. Types of banquets

Do you have a wedding, anniversary, name day or christening coming up? Are you expecting a large number of guests? Don’t want to stand at the stove, run from the table to the kitchen and back during the holiday, and then, when everyone has left, clean up all night? Then the best option for you is to order a banquet in a restaurant. Today I will try to tell you about what this type of feast is and what types of banquets there are.

What is a banquet? This is a ceremonial feast (breakfast, lunch or dinner), which is held for some significant occasion, for example, in honor of an anniversary, wedding, birthday, receiving an award or prize, etc., or even in honor of an important person.

There are banquets of different formats, scales and levels of complexity. The form of service depends on the format of the event. It is customary to distinguish six types of banquets :

1) full service 2) partial service 3) buffet banquet 4) cocktail banquet 5) tea banquet 6) combined banquet

You need to know that full-service banquets usually require strict adherence to numerous rules of etiquette. This option is most often suitable for formal, rather prim events. This banquet is distinguished by excellent serving and the absence of pre-served dishes. The dishes are brought out by the waiters one by one. This method is called “bypass”. Guests cannot choose for themselves, since everyone is served the same thing, but they can refuse the next dish. Each appliance has a menu card that includes the order in which each dish will be taken out. Such banquets usually take a little more than 1 hour.

A partially catered banquet is less formal. Invitees mainly serve themselves. And waiters - only partially. Small dishes, salads, and cold appetizers are pre-placed on the tables. Guests put their own food on their plates and pour their own drinks, including alcoholic ones. The waiters serve hot dishes and desserts in portions. Often a tea table is served separately, on which cake, sweets, various desserts, necessary cutlery and, of course, tea and coffee are placed. This type of banquet is the most common and is perfect for weddings, family celebrations, etc.

A buffet banquet can be organized for any occasion and at any level. The main difference between a buffet and a traditional banquet is the absence of chairs. An important feature of a buffet is that all dishes are served in miniature portions. You can simply pick up a plate or cup and eat it with just one fork without the need for a knife. With a glass or plate, guests can move freely around the room, drinking and eating while standing. Most often, a buffet banquet is more economical in terms of monetary expenses. Also becoming fashionable is the buffet, a type of buffet table. The difference between this option and a traditional buffet is that the hall is divided into zones: a zone where food and drinks are served and a restaurant social zone. Tables with food are located along the wall. People independently take cutlery and plates arranged in piles and serve food according to their own taste. There are two types of tables: regular dining tables with chairs and high ones, so that you can comfortably drink and have a snack while standing. This version of the event can be compared in length and menu to a traditional banquet, but at the same time it is more democratic. Guests are not static at the table, but have the opportunity to move freely around the room, can communicate with everyone and, finally, can independently put on their plate what they want and how much they want, without having to ask anyone.

You can read about how a banquet differs from a buffet table here

A cocktail banquet is something like a mini buffet. It is held after or during breaks of important meetings, on the occasion of the opening of new establishments, fashion shows, etc. Such an event allows you to receive a large number of guests in a relatively small area. Guests move freely in the space in the same way, eating and drinking while standing. There are no covered tables. Dishes and drinks are served by waiters. The main drink is a cocktail. Minimum light snacks. The duration of such an event is from 40 minutes to 1 hour.

The tea banquet is considered a women's event, but does not exclude the presence of men. There are never too many invitees, usually about 10-30 people. Standard time is from 16:00 to 18:00. The tradition of the tea banquet dates back to the English tea party at 17:00. The assortment, as a rule, includes flour products, desserts, tea, coffee, cream. It is possible to serve champagne or stronger alcoholic drinks, but in very limited quantities. A banquet-tea can be organized not only on the occasion of a family celebration, but also on an official occasion: after a meeting of some women's organization, for example.

The tea banquet is a very aristocratic event; you immediately remember sophisticated English ladies.

A combined banquet is a banquet consisting of several types of banquets . In theory, it can include almost all of the above varieties . For example, an event might begin with a cocktail reception followed by a traditional full or partial service meal. And finally, a tea banquet. Each part of the combined banquet is held in a separate hall: after being treated in one, guests move to another, and so on. This type of banquet is a rather time-consuming and financially very expensive event. Therefore, it is organized, as a rule, on especially special occasions.

Which of the banquet types is most suitable? The choice is yours.

Cold appetizers

sliced from various types of cheese (1 kg); cold cuts: sausage, ham, boiled pork, tongue (700 gr.); assorted fresh vegetables (1 kg); pickled herring (600 gr.); pickles: pickled mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage (800 gr.); olives, black olives (400 gr.); salads from vegetables, meat, mushrooms, sausage (800 g each). Hot dishes baked potatoes with mushrooms (1 kg); fish or meat steaks (800 gr.); cutlets (800 gr.); pancakes with meat and mushroom filling (700 gr.). It is important to remember to serve bread products in an assortment. Dessert table You can prepare a birthday cake, or limit yourself to fruits, sweets and mini-cakes.

Drinks mineral water; sweet sparkling water; fruit and berry compote; fruit drink; fruit juices. For 20 people, all drinks must be up to 30 liters. Tea and coffee are served at the sweet table. Menu for a banquet for 30 people For a festive feast for such a number of people, it is worth renting a banquet room. You can prepare dishes for the banquet yourself, or order a catering kitchen. But in the second case, then use two waiters who will keep order on your table. If, however, your decision fell on your own preparation and service, then the following menu will help you a lot. Cold appetizers, fresh and pickled vegetables (assorted); meat, cheese, sausage cuts; assorted fish: trout, salmon; canapes with caviar or red fish; liver cake; salad tartlets; jellied tongue; gefilte fish; aspic; olives and black olives; several types of salads (vegetable, meat, seafood). Hot dishes pork in French; cabbage rolls; roast with mushrooms; cutlets; chicken chops; Fried fish; pancakes with mushrooms. Desserts include assorted fruits, ice cream, cakes, and sweets. The range of strong and non-alcoholic drinks is varied. The menu for a banquet should be compiled taking into account the average weight of dishes per person. Cold and hot dishes are served at the rate of 350 g. Non-alcoholic drinks - approximately 1.5 liters per person. Champagne and vodka - 0.5 liters each, wine - 1 bottle per guest.

Basic rules of the banquet menu

Despite the fact that all reputable restaurants have a specially trained banquet manager, all the subtleties will still have to be dealt with by the organizers, who must know the composition of the guests, their number and taste preferences.

The first and most important rule is to evaluate the composition of the guests and take into account any special preferences (if any), the basic concept of the festive table will depend on this. For example, among the invitees there are vegetarians, people with contraindications to foods due to health and religious principles, whether there will be children and how many, and the ratio of men and women must also be taken into account. Based on this, an assortment of snacks, cold and hot dishes, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and desserts is compiled.
The second very important rule is that there should be enough food and drinks to avoid awkward situations and additional orders.
The order of the dishes. Cold dishes and appetizers are served first and can be placed along with drinks before guests arrive. There should be a serving of at least 200 grams per person. Hot appetizers, which should not be high in calories, are served before the main course at a rate of at least 300 grams per person. This is followed by the main hot dishes of meat, fish and side dishes. At the end, dessert is served in the form of a birthday cake, which is ceremonially cut into portions for each guest. It is allowed to serve various types of cakes, but only if it is not a wedding.
For children present, it is necessary to create a separate menu, in which foods that are too high in calories and spicy should be excluded.
In front of each invitee there should be a champagne flute, a wine glass, a glass for spirits and a glass for mineral water or juice.

Banquet space is one of the main criteria for any celebration.

A small number of guests - up to 20 people can be accommodated at home. To organize a festive feast for more than 20 guests, the best option would be to rent a room for a banquet. Halls for banquet tables can be rented in almost any restaurant or cafe. To select such a room, it is necessary to take into account the following requirements: 1. Convenience of the celebration hall (air conditioning, spacious room). 2. Capacity (the hall must accommodate the required number of guests). 3. Location (it should be taken into account that it should be convenient for guests to get to the establishment). 4. Interior of the room (taking into account wishes and preferences). 5. Availability of a dance floor and recreation areas. 6. High-quality service. 7. Menu selection. 8. Reasonable prices. 9. For outdoor events - the presence of awnings and umbrellas. 10. Availability of space for an aperitif.

The choice of a hall to celebrate any event is important, as is the range of food. After all, a wonderful atmosphere, attractive prices, original design, colorfully decorated hall will create a great mood for all guests and heroes of the occasion and will be remembered for a long time. The banquet manager will help you choose a room, taking into account all the requirements and wishes of the clients. A specialist in organizing such celebrations will give the necessary advice and provide a list of premises to rent for a feast, from which you can choose the best option.

How to organize the perfect banquet: 30 useful tips

Do you have to organize a wedding reception, but you don't know what to do? Or are you afraid that your organizer will miss something? Especially for you, we have compiled a list of the most important points that should be taken into account to make the banquet perfect.

1. Once you have decided on the date

, immediately start looking for a venue for a festive dinner. The sooner you start them, the greater the chance that the most suitable location will be available for reservation. Estimate in advance the number of guests and the format (buffet, cocktail, banquet) to understand exactly what space you need.

2. The closer the banquet hall

will be at the place of registration, the easier it will be for you to organize logistics. If you are having an informal outdoor ceremony, it makes sense to hold it on the same site as the gala dinner.

3. Size of the banquet hall

Photo: Andrey Baida, Pinterest.com.

Furniture for banquets

It is important that the chairs match the number of guests invited. Banquet chairs are covered with special satin covers or decorated with beautiful festive bows and ribbons. The color must fully correspond to the theme of the celebration and the decoration of the hall. Tables can be combined into one common table or placed separately (accommodate 4-6 people). Banquet tables are covered with well-ironed tablecloths. To hold a celebration at home, you can rent the same furniture or simply collect it from your neighbors at home. Of course, all this is quite important at any banquet, but the most important thing, for example at a wedding, is the happy and loving newlyweds, and at other events the joyful faces of the guests.

Article on the topic: festive menu for a birthday.