SC - disastrous kitchen stories

[Robyn.Hodgkin at mailhost.dpie.gov.au]

I reckon I just about top anyone in the equipment disaster area.
Here was I, catering a camping feast for 350 (Rowany festival).
The steward of the event tells me after I arrive, that there are actually
 450 people at the event.  Great start.

I am doing a simple menu: deboned chickens stuffed with
dried fruit and wrapped in pastry; a vegetarian soup; a meat soup;
rabbit stew; roast lamb; a small spitted deer; mixed vegetables in sour
cream; freshly baked bread (Masters Charles and John's bakery)
and  rice pudding for dessert. (and something else, but I cannot
remember for the life of me what it was)

I asked that they hire two large gas ovens, 12 gas hotplates;
4x60 litre pots; 6x40 litre pots, and 6x20 litre pots, 8 ladles and
a spit.

I got 2 large gas ovens, only one of which worked; 3 gas burners,
an open fire spit, and 3x 20 litre pots - no ladles or spoons at all.

We ended up going around the camp fires and borrowing camp
ovens from everyone for the rabbit stew.  The 450 people were
crammed into a space big enough for 350, so serving was a
disaster.  We had left overs galore and people saying that they
had not gotten food.   (I have to admit that this is a problem I have
little sympathy for, as it just shows that those people did not
volunteer to serve - don't you find that servers and servers
friends never go hungry?)  The first batch of rice pudding burnt
on the bottom.

I still shudder to remember the whole thing.   I am planning on
holding a feast at Rowany festival next year, to celebrate my
wedding.  Things will be a bit different..... I thought we would pay
spit roast professionals to cook the meat (that is what they
do best, and it should cost less than $8 per head for 850
people) and pre-make heaps of pies and salads.  Maybe not
the most 'period' option, but one that is workable.

Kiriel

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