Self-catering a Bar Mitzvah

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amother

Brown ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 8:37 am

My son's Bar Mitzvah is in the winter but I'm thinking of self-catering and would like to work out if it's feasible.

If you've self-catered, please share how your menu and how you made it work.

Thanks in advance Wink

PinkFridge ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:00 am

Do you have freezer space? That's a priority. Challah, chicken soup, kneidlach, chicken (prepped raw, baked erev Shabbos), roasts, kugels, desserts, possibly gefilte fish (so I've heard), so much can be frozen.

Will it be at home? Whether at home or in a hall that allows you to bring in your own food, get a waiter/waitress (and ask shailos about what they're allowed to clean, how you pay them, etc.).

For keeping food hot, you'll want an oven, of course. A hot plate (that can be put on a timer) is useful. So is an 18-22 qt. turkey roaster. Maybe 2 - you can keep food warm in it for Shabbos night and make a cholent in the other. Re cholent: if you're making a big turkey roaster size cholent, believe it or not you can if not should put it up Thursday night.

Hope this gets the conversation rolling. Mazel tov!

Ruchel ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:10 am

You CAN. My grandmother self catered her wedding with her mother and my grandfather's aunt. But it was another time, and she'd say, if you can have a caterer, do so.

DrMom

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:15 am

Do you mean Shabbat meals (if so, for how many?), or do you mean a bar mitzvah celebration of some other sort?

Anything is possible, but it depends on crowd size, lead time, freezer capacity, and other logistical factors.

amother

Silver ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:18 am

What type of simcha are you doing? A dinner in the evening? shabbos meal?

I just made a bar mitzva and we did a light lunch/tea time thing. This could also be a brunch with small adaptations. . My sister has made several bar mitzvas (full evening meal). I will share what we both did.

I did:

Little open rolls/mini bagels with tuna, eggs, smoked salmon, cream cheese. (you could do wraps, sandwiches etc) A few friends came in the morning and helped me make these.

cheese platters - fancy french cheese and regular cheese with crackers.

quiches. (made in advance and froze - used pre made pie crusts)

borekas. (bought frozen)

cut up veg sticks with dips

Tons of cakes, cookies, brownies, rugelach - about ten different types. All things that could freeze easily. I made almost all of these myself. I did buy one or two fancy cakes. I would have done ice cream if I could have. (live OOT so not easily available)

fresh fruit in bowls. About ten different types.

I also hired a guy to come and make falafel and salads. He did it fresh on the spot. He charged me about $3-4 a head for this. You could also do sushi or something similar. He and his helper also heated up and served the borekas and quiches.

My sister did for her evening simchos:

When everyone came in there was plated salmon (cold) and salad. A few dips and one or two salads on the table. Challah. Main course was meat roast, rice, and green beans. Dessert was brownie or something equally simple served with ice cream. She cooked everything herself the day before and hired a bunch of waiters to serve.

amother

↑ Silver ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:20 am

To add - my previous son I listened to those people who said it is easier to hire a caterer. We did. We couldn't afford it. I had to cut down massively on cleaning help, buying clothing, food bills etc the next couple of years. It was way more stressful being so short of money then catering my own simcha.

amother

↑ Brown ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:31 am

Thanks everyone. Smile

I'm asking about the actual Bar Mitzvah evening celebration. This will be in middle of the week and I do intend to hire waiters. We will be having a full sit-down meal.

I'll be a making a kiddush on Shabbos too, so all recipe ideas welcome.

amother

Seagreen

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:32 am

My aunt did that with her first (you live and learn) and she did catered by the second bar mitzvah and she saw it came out to the same amount of money.

↑ PinkFridge

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:44 am

amother wrote:

Thanks everyone. Smile

How many people for the evening?

As far as the Kiddush: some shuls will mandate using a caterer. Others are open. Even if you can bring in your own stuff, it might be worth it to pay a few $100 to have a party planner take care of set up and clean up.

HonesttoGod

Thu, May 04 2017, 9:49 am

How many people?
It is a lot of work but totally feasible.

You can make a large salad for starters with salmon or cold cuts mixed in.

Make rolls and challahs in advance. Double batch every week or few days and seal in doubled ziploc bags.

Buy large roasting trays and a bunch of chicken pieces (legs) slather with salt pepper paprika and duck sauce and bake for 1.5 hours or so. Double wrap and freeze.
Fro cutlets if you want that option, bake them too - easier than frying and you can freeze them raw with the bread crumbs already on then spray with pam and defrost in the oven on the day of.

Roasted green beans for a side dish is easy (frozen bags of green beans, some slat pepper and olive oil and roast on high).
Kugel is also an easy side AND can be prepared in advance. Double recipes every few days and double wrap to freeze.

Basically if you have freezer space, it is a huge help and completely doable.

tichellady ↓

Thu, May 04 2017, 11:46 am

Kosheronabudget.com has a whole article on it with her menu

SixOfWands

Thu, May 04 2017, 12:06 pm

amother wrote:

(1) Where will the simcha be, and will they allow you to bring in outside food? Most shuls and halls I know of will not, as doing so would endanger their kashrut certification. One friend was able to self-cater, but only by cooking at the shul itself.

(2) Who will set up? Who will clean up? Who will handle issues during the simcha?

(3) Are tables, chairs, tablecloths, dishes, glasses. flatware, and serving pieces available to you?

(4) What are the insurance requirements? If you don't intend to get insurance, will the hall's insurance, or your homeowners insurance, handle a claim if (1) a guest gets hurt or is sickened by the food (2) waiter, ditto.

amother

↑ Brown ↓

Fri, Jul 28 2017, 6:11 am

Thank you to all those who have responded Smile

The technicalities have all been ironed out, it's just the menu that I need help with.

amother

Apricot

Fri, Jul 28 2017, 6:47 am

I've self catered a few Bar Mitzvahs, Bas Mitzvahs, upshernishes, sheva Brachos, lchaims etc.
I've actually never hired a caterer!

I started mainly because of money, it saves a ton! The only way it doesn't save if you spend a fortune on design items or expensive foods.

I can't share menus as it's very personal, I served different things different times depending on what I get a good deal on, I start looking a few months before. One Bar Mitzvah, I got a great deal on roast, one schnitzel etc.
I work with the BM boy on what he wants, one of mine loves franks n blanks, so we served them, I would usually NEVER serve that, but I realized it has to be for him too and not only about how I want things to look and be!

I obviously don't let a 13 year old pick the whole menu! I've done salad bar or appetizers set on the table, depending.

I work hard on nice table set up, I do it on a budget though. I'm not good at it, I look online or ideas.
I scoured cheap material stores and set the table with really nice materials, I buy treat boxes in dollar store and put by every place.

I personally love how homey they simchas always feel, I always get comments from others on how much nicer the simcha is!!

amother

Pewter ↓

Fri, Jul 28 2017, 8:10 am

amother wrote:

Thank you to all those who have responded Smile

The technicalities have all been ironed out, it's just the menu that I need help with.

I recently made a Shabbos sheva brachos. I'd planned to prep raw chicken and was getting stressed out because of the time and space needed. Even though I'd done it before. I decided to make roast instead. So easy and you can make all the way, not prep and have to put up erev Shabbos. I also made a turkey roast for anyone avoiding red meat.

cbg

Fri, Jul 28 2017, 9:55 am

IMO , don't make the food too fancy.
People enjoy good homemade simple foods
You can fancy it up with decor.

A theme for the food is helpful
Chinese, Italian, Latin, etc.

↑ tichellady

Fri, Jul 28 2017, 3:16 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you to all those who have responded Smile

The technicalities have all been ironed out, it's just the menu that I need help with.

Meat, dairy? How many people? Do you want buffet or plated? How many courses - one or appetizer and dessert too?

↑ Ruchel ↓

Sun, Jul 30 2017, 5:27 am

My grandmother, her mother and a relative of my grandfather catered her wedding. Everything is possible.

Raisin

Sun, Jul 30 2017, 7:25 am

On the tables when people come in do salad, challa rolls, dips and something easy to prep in advance and you can ideally serve cold - salmon, a boreka, |(needs heating though) smoked salmon, mini quiche. Not all of these, just one!

I agree roast is a lot easier for a crowd. For a side dish rice or orzo with some colorful veggies. Green beans or carrots.

For dessert maybe a plate with a few different things on - brownies, sorbet, choc chip cookies, meringes, fruit. Or you can do a dessert buffet. (jme people don't eat a ton of dessert so you can make less that way. eg if you have 100 guests you will not go through 100 portions of brownie if you are serving a few options.

Almost all of these can be made in advance and frozen.

↑ Ruchel

Sun, Jul 30 2017, 7:32 am

I just remembered I went to an engagement ceremony catered by the bride, her mother and her mother in law. People loved it, but all three are very very gifted.

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