Milestone birthday and anniversary catering

Plan for the oldest and youngest guests first

Milestone parties are the most multi-generational events we cater. That changes practical choices more than menu choices.

• Seating for everyone who needs it. A standing cocktail format suits a 40th with friends; it does not suit an 80th where half the guests are over 70. Plan a seat for every guest over about 65, and put those tables closest to the food and furthest from the speakers.
• Service that does not require balancing a plate. Family-style platters at the table, or a buffet with servers plating for guests who ask, is easier than a self-serve line for older guests and anyone using a cane or walker.
• Food that is easy to eat. Tender braises, fish, rice and grain dishes, and vegetables cut to a manageable size. Avoid a menu built entirely on crusty bread, whole chops and skewers.
• A children's plate. Plain pasta, chicken, cut fruit and vegetables for children under 10, served first so parents can eat. Children's portions are usually priced lower; ask in your proposal.

Formats that suit milestone parties

Family-style dinner (from $78 per guest) is the natural choice for anniversaries and big birthdays of 30 to 80 guests: shared platters make a room of relatives feel like a family table, and nobody waits in line.

Food stations (from $72 per guest) work for larger parties of 80 to 200 with a mix of ages, because guests eat when they are ready and move between groups.

A grazing table plus hot dishes (grazing from $28 per guest) suits an afternoon open house such as a retirement or graduation party, where guests come and go over three or four hours.

For graduation parties in June, the backyard version is common: a grill-style menu, big salads and a dessert table. Our backyard and tent planning notes cover power, washrooms and weather, which apply just as much to a graduation party for 80.

Speeches, slideshows and the order of the evening

Most milestone parties have a program: a welcome, a slideshow, speeches from children or grandchildren, the guest of honour's reply, cake. The timing of food around that program decides whether people listen.

Our advice is to serve the main meal first and hold speeches until plates are being cleared, about 45 to 60 minutes after guests sit down. Hungry guests talk through speeches; guests who have eaten listen. Keep the slideshow under 10 minutes and test the projector and sound before guests arrive, not during dessert. We build the run of show with your MC so servers are not clearing plates in front of the screen at the emotional moment.

Surprise parties

Surprise parties need a little extra planning from the caterer. We arrive and finish setup at least 45 minutes before the guest of honour is due, park the van out of sight (around the corner, not in the driveway), and keep all delivery communication with the organizer rather than the household. If the party is at the guest of honour's own home, agree who will get them out of the house and for how long, and build 30 minutes of slack into that plan.

Recreating a meaningful menu

For a 25th, 40th or 50th anniversary, families sometimes want a dish from the original wedding, a meal from the country the couple grew up in, or a birthday person's favourite. Bring us what you have: a photo of the old menu, a family recipe card, or a description of the dish. We will test it and tell you honestly how close we can get, and how to scale it for 60 people without losing what made it special. The cuisines we cook most are Mediterranean, Levantine, South Asian and modern Canadian; if the dish is well outside those, we will say so.

Venues and the cake

Restaurants with private rooms rarely allow outside caterers, so milestone parties with outside catering tend to happen at home, in condo party rooms, church and community halls, golf club rooms that permit outside food, and rented event spaces. Ask the venue about outside catering, kitchen access and end time before booking. Our community halls guide lists the questions to ask.

If a bakery is making the cake, tell us so we can plan who receives it, where it is stored, and staff time to cut and plate it. A tiered cake for 100 takes two people about 20 minutes to cut and plate.