Dinner for 500

I said I help my friend the caterer occasionally so it seems odd that the first two blog posts revolve around her jobs, but really, I do only help out once in a great while. Yeah, so my life revolves a little bit around food. But hey, I like cooking, shopping, and playing with food. One of Lucy's complaints is that our kids think a trip to NY is nothing more than a shopping excursion to a variety of ethnic grocery stores and restaurants.

Anyway, the day after I got my phone I had to help Bonnie the caterer, put out plated dinners for 500 at a big fundraiser. This annual event is always one of the most amusing days of my year. Each time the function is in a different location, never with a real kitchen, no running water or proper refrigeration and always in a tent. My daughter Katie had graduated from 8th grade the day before and Grandma and Grandpa were visiting from Arizona so I left my wife and son with them for the day and took Katie to work with me.

As always, arrived to find problems, one of the 2 small rental trailer refrigerators was not working and the usual general chaos. 4 hours to put together plated salads and main courses. Dinners got done in time and 500+ plates went out in under 16 minutes. There are always about 20 women and me putting out the food, what could be better?