Chef Stuart knows a thing or two about crowd-pleasing. As the Executive Sous Chef at RAC Arena for eight years, and now at the helm running the venue's culinary team, it is no question that Stuart has catered to his fair share of hungry bellies.
With hoards of people flocking to the RAC Arena for rousing live shows, Chef Stuart knows that his guests have come to expect a tip-top culinary experience. Through a perfect combo of planning, tinkering and tailoring, he ensures the rotating door of arena attendees leaves nice and satiated.
While most of us will never have to dish up 1.4K cheeseburgers to ravenous UFC fans (a career highlight for Chef Stuart), we do occasionally find ourselves with hosting duties.
So, how do you cater for a crowd of people who might have different preferences, different dietary requirements, and different expectations?
Here’s what we learnt from the chef of the hour.
Know Your Guests
It’s highly unlikely that every guest in attendance will have the same dietary requirements. To manage this common challenge and make life easier for yourself in the kitchen, Chef Stuart recommends streamlining the process.
“Start by finding out what special dietary requirements your guests have and build the menu around this. It means everyone will enjoy the experience and it saves you from having to prepare additional food. This not only reduces the amount of work required from you but also allows everyone to enjoy all aspects of the meal.”
Keep Appetites In Mind
How often have you left a dinner late in the evening, only to swing by a drive-thru and fiendishly devour a burger or two? As a host, there’s no greater fear than your guests going hungry, so a bit of maths goes a long way.
“Every menu is different, but a good rule of thumb is to allow 160g of cooked protein per person. Some people eat more, some less but it’s helpful to keep this in mind as a guide.”
Don’t Be Too Ambitious
When cooking for a crowd, it’s not recommended that you use the occasion to test your skill levels. Instead, make what you know, and the guests will forever be grateful.
“I strongly believe that you should always keep it simple. Food done well does not need complex garnishes or presentation. Concentrate more on cooking the protein well and always taste and season.”
Lean On Kitchen Appliances
No, you probably won’t have access to the same state-of-the-art equipment as Chef Stuart when you’re hosting your own food-fuelled extravaganza. But, rummaging around in the back of your cupboard for an electric mixer could shave an hour off your prep time.
“If you were looking for something to make cooking at home a little easier, I would recommend investing in a Thermomix. They are very versatile and can be used to help cut down prep and cooking time for a large number of tasks in the kitchen.”
Prep As Much As Possible
Speaking of prep time, a seamless dinner party all but relies on it. If you leave everything to the last minute and don’t at least start preparing salads and basting proteins, it could be an interesting few hours in the company of increasingly antsy guests.
“Ensure you prep well. Do everything you can before guests arrive so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company. Additionally, I would suggest only preparing food that you have tried and tested beforehand—don’t serve untested food to your guests.”
To put Chef Stuart's catering tips and tricks to the ultimate test, find out how you can experience RAC Arena’s top-tier food and beverage offerings here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by RAC Arena and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why, read our editorial policy here.
Image: RAC Arena