Do you get stressed just thinking about a table full of visitors? Not necessary, with this step-by-step plan you cook relaxed for a group of 10.
Cooking for a large group is not possible without proper preparation. So start putting together the menu and making lists on time:
Read also: ‘Recipe:nacho dish with seasoned minced meat, cheese and guacamole’
It's nice to impress friends by putting something really complicated on the table, but there is a chance that it will fail. So make it easy on yourself and opt for simple dishes that are tasty and look beautiful.
Sounds logical, but how often do you forget something that makes you have to go back and forth to the store while cooking? Prevent that and double check your shopping list.
In restaurant kitchens, a distinction is made between mise-en-place and service. Mise-en-place is anything you make in the afternoon or the day before dinner, so you don't have to do as much on the evening itself. Service is arranging everything that you still have to arrange and cook on the evening. It is also useful to approach it this way when having dinner at home. By preparing one or more courses in advance, you avoid stress.
If you are going to cook for a group, it helps to replay the evening in your head a few times.
It is useful to write down this planning in the form of a script. This way you always have an overview, and you don't have to be afraid to lose your cool.
The easiest way is of course to choose dishes that you have already made. Do you want to come up with something new? Then practice those dishes once. This way you can taste whether something is really as tasty as you think and you know exactly what to do on the day of the dinner.
Cooking for ten doesn't just sound like a lot of work, it is. So don't hesitate to ask for help from friends and/or family. For example, they can help you cut vegetables or set the table. You can also ask them to clear up between courses.
Make sure all the dishes are gone before you start cooking. Unload the dishwasher so that all dirty dishes can go straight in. You can also add some extra washes during cooking.
Sometimes your planning doesn't go quite the way you planned. If you set the table first, at least your guests can sit comfortably. Serve a glass of wine or a cocktail and possibly some snacks. No one notices that you are behind schedule…
Put on clothes that make you feel good and leave those heels alone if they don't fit. Put on some music and enjoy the moment.
Source:Santé March 2019, text:Annemiek de Gier
