Do you allow guests to serve themselves?

[Jennasis]

We always let guests serve themselves, but plating for them is no odder (IMHO) than getting served a plate of food at a restaurant.

Seriously.

 

[NMAmy]

We always let guests serve themselves, but plating for them is no odder (IMHO) than getting served a plate of food at a restaurant.

Seriously.

Here's the thing, though. At a restaurant, I don't worry about offending the chef if there's something I don't care for. As I said before, my SIL gets offended if every bit of food is not gone from the plate and will grill you as to what was wrong with it.

One of her adult sons asked for salt once and she went on and on about how she'd perfectly seasoned the meal for about 15 minutes.

In her case, this is just one of the ways she tries to control everyone and I really don't like other people trying to control my food intake. She's the only person I know who plates the food for guests.

 

[JLTraveling]

After years of renting, my parents bought a big, beautiful new home in 1985. I was 9 at the time. For Christmas that year, they served a beautiful sit-down gourmet feast for 35 in the great room. The initial servings were plated beautifully, with a keen eye toward presentation. It's a tradition in our family to pick at the leftovers all afternoon, so after the main meal (five courses, all plated), Mom transferred additional food into heirloom china serving dishes for guests to help themselves. It was a truly stunning meal.

Four hours after the guests left, when the dishes were finally finished being washed, the linens were laundered and the extra tables put away, everyone was exhausted. From then on, it was family-style or buffet-style, generally with paper plates (what the rest of the family does normally anyway).

My grandmother used to do catering, so we all learned HOW to do the plating and presentation and all. But with full-time jobs and busy lives, who has time these days? Only if there's a REALLY pressing reason.

 

[Piglet4Ever]

We always have guests serve themselves. Sometimes I may make a dessert that I plate ahead of time, but usually even that is serve yourself as well.

 

[tasha99]

I do all three variations--plating, family style, or buffet--depending on what I'm serving, who my guests are, how formal the situation is, how many guests there are, and how big of a space I have.

 

[Jennasis]

Here's the thing, though. At a restaurant, I don't worry about offending the chef if there's something I don't care for. As I said before, my SIL gets offended if every bit of food is not gone from the plate and will grill you as to what was wrong with it.

One of her adult sons asked for salt once and she went on and on about how she'd perfectly seasoned the meal for about 15 minutes.

In her case, this is just one of the ways she tries to control everyone and I really don't like other people trying to control my food intake. She's the only person I know who plates the food for guests.

I don't worry if the host is offended that I don't clean my plate. My pickiness is my problem and I will let them know if they grill me about it. It usually goes like this:

Host: WHY aren't you eating the pickled beets?

Me: Oh I am A) allergic (my go-to lie) or B)don't like them but the turkey was delish!

Host: But they're GOOD! Just try a bite...

Me: No thanks. I really am a horrendously picky eater. 'Bout drove my mom insane as a child. But the Turkey/potatoes etc were divine!

Host: But I slaved all day over a hot stove for this meal wah wah wah...

Me: And it was a delicious meal. Still not eating the beets.


My ex-MIL was like your sister and made fun of me at the dinner table, goaded me, wheedled me, and tried guilting me at every meal. She cooked very traditional Russian and eastern European food...and cooked much of it BADLY. I stood my ground and could give a flying rat's hump what she thought.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I only preplate the food if its just me, hubby and kids at home. If we have guests we always put each dish on the table and let guests help themselves to whatever they would like. If someone served me a plate of food that was already made up, chances are that I would eat very little of it as I am a picky eater and having things that I dislike on my plate sometimes makes me lose my appetite.