Catering Services & Styles Different serving styles are available upon request. Discuss the type of service you need with the catering office. The different types of service are: full service, self service, buffet, delivery, and carry out service. Serving Styles: Seated or standard sit-down service is when the food is plated and portioned in the kitchen and the guest is served the plate of food while sitting down at the table. Russian Style is where the food is plattered and the server portions and serves each guest a portion of the entrée, served with a fork and spoon. French Style is when the food is plattered tableside. The platters are presented to the guests and the guests pass and serve themselves. This requires more space and service can be slow. Family Style is when the food is in bowls and on platters in the middle of the table and the guests help themselves. Buffet style is when the people stand in a food line. Table d'Hôte is with many items on the table for the guests to share and pass amongst themselves. This is style of service that bespeaks warmth and generosity, encourages chat amongst your guests and offers almost a mini-buffet of choices at each table. Makes for the most exuberance and conversation. French Service is where waiters serve from a tray to your guest's plate, with another waiter following along behind to sauce the selections. A highly skilled formal presentation that is the norm for truly formal banquets and fine dining experiences. Stations Buffet is when you set up a variety of small stations with plates at each for the guests to wander to and from at will. This style of service has the option of giving your guest ultimate freedom to pick and choose from the menu items that you have chosen for them. An alternative is to use large plates, full flatware service and treat the buffet as a full dinner buffet. Stations Buffet with Grill is with one or more grills, the chefs can actually make parts of the menus before your guests’ eyes. The menu items are enhanced by the exuberance of the chefs in action at the grills. The flavors of the menu are in the air. Standard Cocktail Party with Drinks and Hors d'Oeuvres is your standard, straight up, cocktail party can be given a few twists by butlering - passing - wine and mineral water right by the front door and having staff deal with coats. Butlered Menu is an exceptionally gracious way to serve a cocktail party is by passing all the menu items. Just some simple nuts, olives, etc placed on tables. Butlered and Stationary is the absolute norm for most cocktail parties. Butlered and also Stations - this allows much more food to be presented and eaten. Usually, this option is for an "open house" or to accommodate large numbers of guests all arriving at the same time. Open House with this service style, all of the menu is available pretty much all the time as you would be expecting your guests to come and go throughout the party. Usually this menu would be designed as providing the makings of a substantial informal meal. Usual setup is stations buffet with passed hors d'oeuvres and pick up passed sweets. Close Window