Preparing For a Large Scale Catering Event In Advance

As a chef, it is optimal, whenever possible, to prepare ingredients prior to service or before a function, and cook all dishes freshly as they are ordered. When faced with a large-scale catering event preparation, where possible, is key to achieving high-quality results in a timely fashion.

Where possible, it's always advised to carry out food preparation and cooking prior to the event itself. This reduces pressure during the main event and speeds up service and efficiency. Prepping ingredients in advance of an event and then safely storing in food storage containers until the event is in progress and the courses need plating up and presenting, can mean a smoother experience for everyone. In terms of cooking, vacuum pack machines and sous vide techniques are ideal for slow cooking meats, creating sauces and preparing foods in a sealed uncontaminated package, ready to be safely reheated prior to service.

Top Tip: Keep menus simple. Over complicated dishes leave more room for error and simple but well executed meals can deliver just as much satisfaction without the pressure.

Some ingredients and recipes do not lend themselves to prior preperation and will lose taste, texture and overall quality if pre-prepared. Some types of fish may dry out and lose texture, while certain oil based sauces may break or cream sauces break when they are reheated. 

Vegetables

Ingredients, such as vegetables, which can be time-consuming to peel, chop, slice and dice, can be pre-prepared and safely and successfully stored without jeopardising the end result; they offer the most opportune way to save time when running an event. They can then be quickly cooked prior to service.

There are certain criteria and techniques that should be implemented to ensure quality results.

Selecting and Preparing

• Select vegetables that are at their peak in regard to ripeness.
• Wash each ingredient thoroughly and prepare as you would if you were cooking fresh. This may include peeling, removing outer layers, shelling and chopping etc.

Blanching and Shocking

• Blanching involves placing the vegetables in boiling hot water for the specified amount of time for the vegetable being treated.
• Shocking is when the vegetables are removed from the boiling water and immediately plunged into ice cold water for approximately one minute.

This effectively halts the cooking process and deactivates the enzymes located within the integral structure of the vegetable cells. The shocking process protects the vegetables from any deterioration while in frozen storage.

Storage

• Drain, dry off, package and mark storage with appropriate labelling. These storage containers are then ready to be placed into the freezer.
• Certain vegetables should be allowed to freeze on a sheet pan until they are frozen solid before being packed for storage. This ensures that they hold their desired shape and form and are not contorted before they are fully frozen.

Meat

Many marinated meats, those with a sauce and meat based dishes with high moisture content, including steaks, chicken, casseroles and lasagne can be pre-prepared; some meats are just better cooked fresh. Depending on the cooking, storage and reheating technique, some cuts of meat, especially lean cuts or those without sauce, may become dry with loss of texture if cooked prior to an event and then reheated. 

Meat dishes, typically served in some form of marinade or sauce, can be prepared using safe sous vide cooking and chilling methods and can deliver delicious menu options that don't require 'on the spot' cooking, just simple reheating.

Food safety should always be a prime concern when cooking, chilling and reheating foods. All foods must be chilled or frozen within food safety guidelines, using a blast chiller or blast freezer to pull core temperatures down through the food danger zone within a specified time frame. Similarly reheating food safely and the process around this is just as important.

Sauces

Some complex cooking sauces can also be prepared and packaged prior to events, ready to be heated and added to fish, vegetables or meats before service.

All pre-cooked foods (unless they can be eaten raw) must be chilled and reheated safely and within guidelines.

Using choice ingredients, and simple processes such as blanching, shocking and sous vide cooking, you can prepare for a large function well in advance and guarantee dishes that are well presented, tasty, of a high quality and all served on time.