Look up the definition of “buffet” in the Cambridge Dictionary, and you will see it defined as “a meal where people serve themselves food that is arranged on a table.”
But of course, most of us who have ever helped ourselves at a buffet event don’t struggle with the concept of what a buffet is. What you might be somewhat likelier to have difficulty with, is the task of identifying and preparing the foods that would be ideal for your own buffet.
So, we thought we’d make that task a little easier for you. The foods at a buffet generally need to tick certain boxes – for example, there being a nice mix of traditional, healthy, meat and vegetarian foods available, as well as, obviously, the food looking and tasting fresh.
Beyond that, however, you will have a lot of scope for creativity with your buffet catering in London. Below, then, we have selected just a few of the food options you might consider.
Coronation chicken
Well, we’re coming up to another coronation – not exactly the most frequent of events in the UK – as we type, so we might as well make this one our first suggestion!
Indeed, coronation chicken was actually invented for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation lunch in 1953, when it was known as PouletReine Elizabeth, and it has been a street-party staple ever since.
Coronation chicken makes a lot of sense for a buffet party in various ways. It is easy to prepare in less than an hour, and it offers versatility in terms of how you serve it. You might like the idea of having it in wraps, for example, or as a side salad, or even just as a traditional sandwich filling.
Sandwiches
We did mention sandwiches, so let’s expand on that a little. Yes, they’re an “obvious” choice for buffet catering in London, but it might be more instructive to consider them as a foundation for your creativity.
You might go for sliced bread or buns, brown bread or white bread… or you could have combinations of all these things. And of course, there’s barely an end to the list of potential fillings.
Whatever you do with your sandwiches, though, we would strongly urge you to have something for vegetarians, such as creamy avocado or chickpea salad sarnies – the latter great for mimicking tuna’s texture and taste.
Hummus
Making your own hummus is remarkably easy, and takes only around 15 minutes. Serving this spread or paste in bowls with teaspoons in, will provide a tempting invitation for your buffet guests to transfer a portion of it to their own plate.
Even if there aren’t any chickpeas at hand, you can use cannellini beans to rustle up a dip you and the attendees of your party will love. Adding an extra drizzle of quality olive oil, or topping it with roasted seeds or nuts, will further elevate the presentation of this superb-value dip.
Quiche
You can always count on this baked flan or tart being a hit at a London buffet celebration or event. As is the case of many of the other “classic” buffet foods, quiche offers plentiful room for creativity and variety, with possible fillings encompassing the likes of ham, tuna, sweetcorn, cheese and onion.
Make sure you don’t make the slices of your quiche too big, as this could prompt people to reach for the forks, which might slightly miss the point if you were trying to arrange a finger buffet.
Cheese and chive puffs
You might like to consider these as a savoury equivalent to profiteroles. Light choux pastry offering a subtly cheesy taste, with a delectable cheese filling and soft mousse centre, makes for a dream combination for buffets around the capital – as does the fact that event attendees can easily pick them up while avoiding getting grease on their hands.
If you’re preparing cheese and chive puffs for vegetarians, we would urge you to avoid Parmesan, in favour of cheddar cheese or vegetarian hard cheese. There’s also the option of forgoing the cheese altogether, filling them with chocolate cream to create a pudding.
There you have it – five possibilities for your upcoming buffet event that will help ensure everyone remembers the food you serve for the right reasons.
But if for any reason you feel you require some professional help with your buffet catering in London, don’t forget that Sophie Wright Catering can handle it all with aplomb! Simply contact us now to learn more about our complete and responsive service.