Phase 1: Planning

Appears in
Professional Garde Manger: A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Food Preparation
Professional Garde Manger

By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett

Published 2010

  • About
Planning is the most important phase of buffet work and crucial to its success. Buffet planning is an involved procedure and can take a lot of time. Many details must be worked out:
  • The theme must be identified.
  • The menu must be designed to meet the customers’ expectations and offer sufficient variety.
  • Food preparation must be organized.
  • The physical layout of the buffet and its service strategy must be carefully planned.
No matter how delicious the food is, if the buffet table is not set up for proper flow, if the platters are hard to reach and the food is difficult to put on the plates, or if there is no procedure for replenishing the empty platters, guests will not enjoy the event.