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Steakhouse Catering & Party Planning Guide
Most catering problems are arithmetic problems. People either massively over-order sides and under-order protein, or they order correctly and then let everything sit for 90 minutes before serving.
This is the planning maths, plus which dishes survive transport and which fall apart.
Ingredients
Per person, main event
- Steak or beef: 170–225g raw weight per adult
- Chicken: 1 breast or 2 thighs per adult
- Ribs: ⅓ to ½ rack per adult
- Starch side: about 150g
- Vegetable side: about 110g
- Bread rolls: 2 per person, then add 20%
- Salad: 85g leaves per person
Adjustments
- Mostly-men crowd or a long event: add 15% protein
- Buffet rather than plated: add 20% overall, because people serve themselves generously
- Children under 12: count as half an adult
- Sit-down lunch: reduce 10% against an evening event
- Alcohol served: add 25% to bread and starches
Method
Count heads honestly
Order for confirmed guests plus 10%, not for the invite list. Over-ordering by 40% is the single most common and most expensive catering mistake.
Pick dishes that travel
Braised meats, ribs, seasoned rice, baked beans, mac and cheese and roasted vegetables all hold well. Anything fried, anything with a crust, and dressed salad do not — fries in particular are inedible 25 minutes after leaving the kitchen.
Plan the temperature chain
Hot food should leave the kitchen above 74°C / 165°F and be held above 60°C / 140°F. Chafing dishes hold temperature; they do not raise it. If food arrives lukewarm, it stays lukewarm.
Set the buffet up correctly
Plates first, then sides, then protein, then bread and sauces last. Putting protein first means the first ten guests take too much of it. Run a double-sided line for more than 40 guests.
Time backwards from serving
Work back from when people eat, not forward from when you start. Delivery 30–45 minutes before serving is the sweet spot — earlier and quality drops, later and you have no margin.
Notes & troubleshooting
- Order sides in fewer varieties and larger quantities. Three good sides beat six mediocre ones and cost less.
- Bread is the cheapest way to make a spread feel generous — always over-order it.
- Ask about serving equipment explicitly. Chafing dishes, fuel, serving spoons and tongs are frequently not included and are the classic thing to discover on the day.
- Confirm dietary requirements at least a week ahead, and keep those portions physically separate rather than at the end of the same line.
- Assign one person to manage the buffet. Unmanaged lines run out of things nobody noticed.
Questions
How much steak per person for a party?
Plan 170–225g of raw weight per adult. Go to the top of that range for an evening event, a long party, or where alcohol is being served.
How far in advance should I place a catering order?
Two weeks for a standard order, and three to four weeks around major holidays or graduation season, when steakhouse catering slots fill early.
What food should I avoid for catering?
Anything fried or crusted, and anything dressed in advance. Fries, breaded items and salads with dressing already on them all degrade badly within half an hour of leaving the kitchen.
Buffet or plated?
Buffet for over 30 guests or a relaxed event; plated for formal occasions or tight timings. Buffets need roughly 20% more food because guests serve themselves more generously than a kitchen would.
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