[Sca-cooks] Cooking & Serving...

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Yah know, i've been at this now about 5-1/2 years. I've participated 
in quite a few pot luck dinners, head cooked around seven feasts, 
including one private (and will do another private this year), and 
assisted at some number.

There are no West Kingdom level feasts (although i kinda cooked one 
for 150). Most feasts are on the Shire or Principality level, and a 
"big" feast is 80 people - most are smaller.

Our available kitchens generally have between 2 industrial burners 
available (really four, but only 2 accessible with big pots) and 4 
residential burners (2 stoves of 4 burners each, with only 2 per 
stove accessible with modest stock pots) and 2 industrial to 4 
residential ovens. This works fine for our size of feasts.

So i'm wondering, how the heck do you cook for 400!?!? There wouldn't 
even be enough room in most kitchens for 3 courses of 3 dishes each 
for 400, let alone trying to cook that much food in one.

And - plating? You mean, you actually serve each course onto each 
diner's plate in the kitchen? Doesn't this take an awful lot of time?

We generally have 8 people sitting per table - there is one server 
for one or two tables, who just bring out serving dishes with enough 
of each food for all the diners. The food gets on the tables quickly, 
then people help themselves.

How does this work? Will i have to visit with a notebook?

Bemused in Berkeley
Awestruck in Oakland
Ruminating in Emeryville

i remain,
Anahita