400 Guest Wedding

medic92

medic92

is one Smokin' Farker
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
961
Reaction score
2,724
Points
0
Age
55
Location
Mount Sterling, IL
16 pork loins, 450 hot dogs (they wanted leftovers because they were spending the weekend at the wedding venue), 60 lbs. of green beans, 84 lbs. of pasta salad, 30 lbs. of bacon for the pasta salad and green beans.


I think for now we might limit ourselves to catering 300 guests or less. We can bring in people to help serve, but it's just my wife and I doing all the cooking and prep.

View attachment 163935

View attachment 163936

View attachment 163937

View attachment 163938
 
Last edited:
medic92 said:
I think for now we might limit ourselves to catering 300 guests or less. We can bring in people to help serve, but it's just my wife and I doing all the cooking and prep.
Click to expand...


I bet if your phone rings tomorrow and someone asks you to cater a wedding for 600 your brain will go $$$$$$ and you will say yes LOL I know I would and then work out the details and logistics for the wedding day!
 
Philly-QueMaster said:
What do you mean by back up plan??
Click to expand...


When I'm catering an event where the meat takes 12-14 hours to cook, I always have a backup plan. Like if I smoke brisket for 200 and do something idiotic like put a brisket directly over the pit probe and cremate a bunch of briskets, I like to have something I can do quickly as a replacement. Generally I'll have a few full ribeyes in the fridge so I can take the smoker with me and grill steaks in a hurry.


I just try to keep something in the back of my mind for any "what-if" situations so I'm not as stressed out. I haven't had to use it yet but I feel better knowing I've got the situation covered if it arises.
 
medic92 said:
When I'm catering an event where the meat takes 12-14 hours to cook, I always have a backup plan. Like if I smoke brisket for 200 and do something idiotic like put a brisket directly over the pit probe and cremate a bunch of briskets, I like to have something I can do quickly as a replacement. Generally I'll have a few full ribeyes in the fridge so I can take the smoker with me and grill steaks in a hurry.


I just try to keep something in the back of my mind for any "what-if" situations so I'm not as stressed out. I haven't had to use it yet but I feel better knowing I've got the situation covered if it arises.
Click to expand...


Sounds like a good way to go bankrupt.
 
luke duke said:
Sounds like a good way to go bankrupt.
Click to expand...


Not really, if I don't use them the ribeyes can either be frozen or I can cut them into sandwich slices and have a promotion with the food trailer one day.

I live in abject fear of being the cause of someone's event being ruined, so I make sure I have contingencies in place, that's all. :becky:
 
Looks good. Can't believe you ran 400 people thru a little corner buffet but if it worked, rock on!
May I inquire what you charged per head?
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Looks good. Can't believe you ran 400 people thru a little corner buffet but if it worked, rock on!
May I inquire what you charged per head?
Click to expand...


There were actually only about 300 there, they wanted leftovers for the rest of the weekend. I only smoked/heated the hot dogs because they wanted to have a wiener roast the next evening.


If I remember correctly, it was $10.50/person.
 
medic92 said:
There were actually only about 300 there, they wanted leftovers for the rest of the weekend. I only smoked/heated the hot dogs because they wanted to have a wiener roast the next evening.


If I remember correctly, it was $10.50/person.
Click to expand...


Man $10.50 a person seems really cheap. Doesn't seem like it would be worth all that time and effort for a couple hundred bucks.
 
Philly-QueMaster said:
Man $10.50 a person seems really cheap. Doesn't seem like it would be worth all that time and effort for a couple hundred bucks.
Click to expand...


It came out to a little over $4,000. I got the pork loins and hot dogs from Dot Foods inventory (I still drive part-time so I'm an employee and get that perk). 15 pork loins cost me $225 and the hot dogs were less than that. Side were green beans and pasta salad, which were also inexpensive sides. Counting containers, equipment and paying our minions, we put out less than $1,000 on the job. Timewise, it wasn't difficult, the pork loins only took a few hours, the hot dogs less and we were only there for four hours counting setup, serving and teardown.
We weren't out to get rich, we were trying to help them out somewhat because the caterer they had originally backed out due to sudden medical issues. The original caterer called me and asked if we could help out so we stepped in. :becky:
 
medic92 said:
It came out to a little over $4,000. I got the pork loins and hot dogs from Dot Foods inventory (I still drive part-time so I'm an employee and get that perk). 15 pork loins cost me $225 and the hot dogs were less than that. Side were green beans and pasta salad, which were also inexpensive sides. Counting containers, equipment and paying our minions, we put out less than $1,000 on the job. Timewise, it wasn't difficult, the pork loins only took a few hours, the hot dogs less and we were only there for four hours counting setup, serving and teardown.
We weren't out to get rich, we were trying to help them out somewhat because the caterer they had originally backed out due to sudden medical issues. The original caterer called me and asked if we could help out so we stepped in. :becky:
Click to expand...

That makes sense then. I wasn't thinking about food cost being so low. Good point. 400 people is a lot of people to serve!! Nice job!
 
Philly-QueMaster said:
That makes sense then. I wasn't thinking about food cost being so low. Good point. 400 people is a lot of people to serve!! Nice job!
Click to expand...


Thanks. Having access to Dot's inventory is a huge benefit for me. We get items at cost before they get to Sysco, US Foods, Restaurant Depot, etc. and get marked up. As long as I don't try to get my full order there every week they're good with it.
 
HBMTN said:
I bet if your phone rings tomorrow and someone asks you to cater a wedding for 600 your brain will go $$$$$$ and you will say yes LOL I know I would and then work out the details and logistics for the wedding day!
Click to expand...


We just got a request for another 400 guest wedding and I jumped in with both feet. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
First Wedding! Tri-tip & Chicken
Replies
8
Views
3K
TravelingJ
T
Phrasty
• Fathers Day BBQ Cook-Up (Pic heavy)
Replies
18
Views
840
GammaRei
G
M
Austin and Lockhart weekend
Replies
4
Views
562
markdtn
M
H
Creating New Wedding Appetizers
Replies
2
Views
2K
gtr
gtr
NoOne
Santa Maria Tri-Tip on the Santa Maria
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
frognot
frognot
Back
Top