How to Serve a Dinner Party

Serving a dinner party is a bit nerve-racking for any caterer because it requires precision. Unlike a less formal gathering, a dinner party tends to follow a strict schedule and the timing is all based on the food. Serving a dinner party takes some knowledge and coordination.

Instructions

1. Plan. Any caterer will tell you, every successful event starts with a plan. Some people make it look effortless, but in reality a lot of preparation goes into serving a dinner party. In fact, the serving part is probably the easiest and most fun part of the entire process.

2. Set the table. The table setting should be in place before the guests arrive for the dinner party. The caterer needs to attend to all details, even if the hostess has done the basic setting. Be sure the right size plates are used, proper flatware is available to the guests and necessary condiments are on the table.

3. Prepare the table. Before guests are called to the table for dinner, set out the first course. This way, guests are enticed to take their seats and begin eating. Also, you avoid being on the spot as a hungry and captive audience hangs on your next move.

4. Clear first. Begin each new course of the dinner by first preparing the table to receive it. Clear away any dishes from the previous course and add any new silverware that's required, including replacing knives that have been used and cleared away.

5. Quiet the kitchen. The caterer's role is to prepare and serve the food with the least amount of intrusion in the dinner party. Make your trips to the dinning room swift and quiet, so people might not notice you were there at all. Also, keep the noise down in the kitchen as you clean plates and prepare the next course.