Catering

Frequently Asked Questions About Catering

Answered by Chef Vinny Savinelli, of Vinny’s Pizza & Pasta, Cranford, N.J.

What is the best way to figure out how much food I need?

First, you will need to know how many people will attend your party. Round up to make sure you have enough food. Children 3 to 10 years old can count as one-half adult. Now that you have a headcount, we are ready for the next step.

How much food should I order?

On average, you will need about three half trays to feed every 15 adults, plus a dessert item. You can mix this up however you like and pro-rate it for more or fewer people. For example, if you are expecting 20 people, you probably want about six half dishes or three full-size dishes or any combination in between.

What type of food should I order?

Usually, when people eat a catered event, they follow a simple pattern. For a first course, they will have an appetizer, such as a salad, antipasto, or fried calamari. A second course will most likely consist of a pasta dish such as stuffed shells or cavatelli with broccoli. Next, a third course is usually the main course, such as chicken, meat, or fish. Finally, most people will have dessert, if it is offered, such as cheesecake or cannolis. It is a good idea to have items that people can snack on, such as hors d’oeuvres or chips and pretzels. If you ordered more than one of any type of main course or pasta, try to diversify. If you order two items, and both of them are chicken, people who don’t eat chicken might feel left out.

These are just suggestions. There are no hard and fast rules for catering.

Placing an order: Please allow at least one week for us to prepare your order. If you need help figuring it out, please give us a call. We also require a 25% deposit on all catering orders.

Catering for All Occasions • We Deliver

28 Eastman Street, Cranford, NJ 908-709-9000 • Fax: 908-709-9009