Start your party off right with a Hot and Cold Buffet Menu!
Whether it’s for a birthday brunch or an evening wedding reception, opting for a buffet with a selection of dishes that complement each other rather than opting for an overwhelming number of options can give your guests a more satisfying dining experience.
Incorporating hot and cold buffet options for your guests to enjoy can be challenging as most types of foods belonging to these two categories of buffets are drastically different and cannot easily be paired with one another.
Consider hiring a professional catering service that offers either the hot or cold buffet options or maybe even merges the two for a unique buffet experience.
Types of Food to include in a Hot Buffet
Picking a selection of one-pot-style dishes accompanied by either rice, pasta, or potatoes is an easy choice that you can’t go wrong with. Make sure that you have a variety of dishes so that you can cater to people with various dietary needs.
Slow-cooker chicken curry or prawn and lentil curry are great accompaniments for steamed white rice. A tomato, pepper, and bean stew or a squash, lentil, and bean curry with fig raita are great vegetarian options to include in your hot buffet.
You can make your buffet more exciting by adding extras such as bread rolls, bruschetta topped with tomato-basil or mushroom-garlic toppings, focaccia, and marinated olives.
Keep your dessert options exciting to make sure your guests end their meal on a sweet and satisfying note. A hot apple pie or fruit crumble served with double cream, a pecan pie cobbler accompanied with ice cream or whipped cream, or a comforting old-fashioned rice pudding are some great dessert options for a hot buffet.
Types of Food to include in a Cold Buffet
Make sure your cold buffet spread has an attractive centerpiece such as a french onion tart or a brie quiche with cranberries. Non-vegetarians, vegetarians, and vegans are bound to enjoy these versatile cold dishes.
Salads are an integral part of a cold buffet, so make sure to have a variety of salad options like coleslaw, pasta Niçoise, and a stilton, apple, and walnut salad.
Deli platters are the perfect addition to any cold buffet. Cold meat deli plates, smoked salmon, dips, and crudités are a few options that you can incorporate into your cold buffet spread.
Cold canapés such as cheese and chive puffs and halloumi wrapped in parma ham are unique-flavored finger foods that your guests are bound to enjoy.
Incorporate a selection of cold desserts, including a no-bake millionaire’s cheesecake, an indulgent no-bake chocolate tart, and profiterole and salted toffee ice cream sandwiches.
Types of Beverages that can complement a Hot and Cold Buffet
Get creative with your cocktail selection and include soft drinks like elderflower soda or ginger beer in the cocktails. Make sure to stock up on chilled champagne, wine, or beer for those who don’t indulge in cocktails at your hot and cold buffet.
Fruit punches, carbonated sodas, and fruit juices should always be included in a buffet spread to cater to your guests who don’t drink alcoholic beverages.
Hire the Best Caterers in Pittsburgh for the Best Hot and Cold Buffet Options
If you’re hosting an event with a crowd and you want to offer your guests the ultimate buffet experience, get in touch with a professional catering company.
Whether it’s a menu for the best brunch buffet in Pittsburgh or a wedding reception, caterers that specialize in various types of buffets can guarantee that your guests can indulge in a unique and delicious buffet.
