Party planning can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when it involves a crowd.
You want to ensure that all your guests have a good time and are provided with a hearty meal. As a host, you would want to interact with all of your guests and join in on the fun, especially when it’s a birthday dinner.
Consider hiring a catering company that provides an excellent dinner buffet in Pittsburgh if you’re hosting a dinner party. This will let you mingle with your guests without stressing about preparing a large meal for a crowd.
A catering company will curate a menu that’s suitable for a dinner party and prioritize the number of guests the buffet has to cater to. Professional caterers will follow a series of steps when planning a dinner buffet to ensure that you’re provided with a delectable birthday dinner spread.
1. Plan the Menu
When creating a menu for a birthday dinner party, it’s best not to load the buffet with too many options. Having a selection of dishes that complement each other well is better than numerous items that may overwhelm your guests.
Choose one to two main meat dishes, a vegetarian main dish, a pasta dish, and a rice dish, plus a salad, an assortment of bread, and condiments for a buffet that your guests will enjoy. You can even ask your caterer for recommendations.
2. Decide on the Main Meat Dishes
Have two types of meat dishes prepared in two different ways for variety at the birthday dinner buffet in Pittsburgh you’re hosting.
Slow-roasted lemon chicken is a zingy chicken dish that pairs well with rice or pasta, while a tri-tip roast beef is a flavorful dish that can be enjoyed with a garlic red wine vinaigrette or a horseradish cream sauce.
3. Choose the Vegetable Dishes
Potatoes pair well with any meat dish. Au gratin is a simple, yet filling dish that consists of potatoes, heavy cream, and cheese and lusciously combines well with chicken or roast beef.
Oven-roasted vegetables have a deep, sweet flavor to them and are perfect for a buffet in Pittsburgh as they add color, variety, and nutrition.
4. Include Rice and Pasta Dishes
Jambalaya is a Cajun rice dish that’s packed with flavor and loaded with prawns, sausages, chicken, and peppers—spiced with a tomato broth.
There’s also the option of creamy chicken alfredo casserole which is a simple yet delicious pasta bake that’s perfect for a dinner buffet.
5. Opt for Salads and Bread
A barley black bean salad is a hearty, all-vegetarian salad dish that’s a good choice of salad for a dinner buffet with a lot of protein dishes.
Pineapple-walnut bread makes a perfect accompaniment for cold, savory salads.
6. Quench the Guests’ Thirst with Beverages
No matter the dishes you serve, beverages to wash everything down, are a must.
Cocktails and other alcoholic beverages can be served separately, while mocktails, fruit punch, sparkling fruit juices, and tea and coffee can be reserved for those who don’t prefer alcohol.
7. Pick the Dessert
Your choice of birthday cake can be the centerpiece of the dessert table once the traditional celebratory song has been sung and the candles have been blown.
Gooey chocolate brownies, white chocolate chip cookies, and a meringue-based dessert like a pavlova laden with fresh fruit are great sweet options to end any meal.
Hire a Caterer for a Birthday Dinner Buffet in Pittsburgh
A reputable catering company can provide a delectable buffet according to your budget and the type of event you’re hosting while considering the number of attendees, without compromising on quality. Get the best catering in Pittsburgh to offer the best birthday dinner buffet.
