Savvy Entertaining

When you are entertaining with a buffet, three simple keys can unlock the “Wow” factor and make it look like you’ve either hired a professional or are taking classes in culinary presentation.

Height

Color

Texture

Anytime you entertain buffet-style, think about these three elements and try to incorporate them. When you do, your buffet is going to pop and people are really going to think of you as the host with the most!

Even if you can barely boil water and serve take-out or out-of-the-box food, you can still present it in a way that is appealing.

Height should begin on one end of the table and cascade forward and out. The highest point on the table is where you want to put a centerpiece – be it flowers, fruit or some interesting object. Then stagger the height as you come across the table and toward the front with the lowest point being the front corner of the opposite side of the table. You can get height from a lot of different things like sturdy boxes, dictionaries, a cooking pot turned upside down. If you have a hot dish that needs to stay warm, put a few bricks in the oven to heat then when you are ready to serve place them on hot pads, top with a decorative cloth and place your hot dishes on top. When you have cold dishes that need to stay cold, fill inexpensive aluminum pans with ice, top with a cloth and nestle bowls inside.

There are also a variety of iron stands you can use to give height and texture to your table. These stands look sleek and serve their purpose well. In a pinch you can also turn bowls or goblets upside down and place a serving plate on top for some added elevation.

Color can come from your tablecloths, your food and your serving pieces. Use foods with a variety of color for the most visual appeal. You don’t want to serve foods that are all bland in color because your table will look bland as well. When setting your buffet, plan to use two tablecloths. One as a base cloth and the other as an accent that can cover your added items of height. I like to use black as my base cloth because it hides any spills and it really brings out the rest of the colors on the table. The second cloth can be a color that goes with your theme, matches your decor, or is something seasonal.

Choose serving pieces that offer some fun color and texture.

Texture can be found in everything from your table coverings and serving pieces to your food. A mixture of smooth, nobby, wavy, glossy, and flat will create a wealth of visual interest. Have fun with the combinations and see what works best for you.

The next time you set a buffet, try combining all three elements and see what a difference it makes to you table.

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