AboutChef Todd Mohr Expertise I'd be glad to answer your questions about how basic cooking methods apply equally to cooking for two in your home, or 1000 for an event.
Experience Executive Chef at a large hospital, feeding 3000 people three times daily over 8 different menus. Chef at The National Security Agency in Washington, DC, part of a team feeding 15,000 people twice daily.
Publications I am a featured author at Ezine Articles (ezinearticles.com, ideamarketers.com, articlecity.com, buzzle.com, selfgrowth.net)
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Arts, Long Island University
Associate of Arts, Baltimore International Culinary College
Past/Present Clients My catering company boasts many of the nations largest companies as clients over the past 8 years.
Question Hello,
For a wedding reception, we plan on serving at least 350 people, could you please tell me how many ham I will need and how many cups of dry rice to cook for this large quantity. Thanks you
Answer My first bit of advice is to hire a professional caterer. Cooking for and serving 350 people is a very difficult task to assure the quality and safety of the food. As the owner of a catering company, I get frantic calls all the time from people whose friends, relatives, or church member volunteered to cater their wedding and let them down. Hire a caterer.
In the alternative, the standard portion of protein is 5 ounces per person, finished product. If you're starting from raw meat, you may expect up to 20% trim and cooking loss. For 350 people, you need 100 pounds of cooked ham.
The standard portion of starch is 4 ounces per person. One cup of rice plus the 2 cups of water it takes to prepare it will weigh about 1.5pounds. You should get 6-8 servings per cup of rice on a buffet.
Now, there are many variables you also need to control. Having catering staff serve the buffet will save about 20% of your production, as people who serve themselves take 20% more from the chafing dish, whether they eat it or not. Also, what type of crowd is it? There's a big difference between a Military wedding with soldiers in attendance versus an event that would have many children.
Also consider how you would use leftovers. Plan ahead for a local food pantry or homeless shelter that would accept safely handled leftovers.
