Mediterranean Ish for 50 people
Doing a Mediterranean/shawarma-style buffet lunch for ~50 people this weekend and wanted some feedback from people with catering/event experience.
Trying to keep it fresh, healthy, customizable, and realistic for basically a one-person operation. Venue has no real cooking allowed onsite, so I’m doing most prep ahead and reheating with chafing dishes/microwaves.
Current menu:
Light shawarma-style chicken thighs (lemon, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, oregano, light cinnamon)
Warm seasoned chickpeas
Cilantro lime rice
Quartered Arabic pita bread
Homemade pickled red onions
Greek salad
Tomato / cucumber / onion toppings (separate from the salad, not sure if this is necessary but I have lots of cucumber and tomato)
Fresh herbs (parsley + cilantro)
Sauces:
Homemade tzatziki
Lemon garlic tahini sauce
Fire feta dip (feta + roasted red pepper)
My main goals:
not skimping on protein
avoiding the “huge tray of rice but no meat left halfway through the line” problem
keeping line flow smooth
making it feel healthier/fresher than typical catered lunch food
Currently planning:
~16 lbs chicken thighs
~50 cups rice
8 large cans chickpeas (20.5 oz)
separate toppings station from hot food line
Anything I’m overlooking operationally or any smart last-minute tweaks you’d make? Also used to manage Vons fresh made kitchen and have some experience as a retreat chef. My biggest achievement was all meals and drinks for 18 people for 3 days.