Reception without a Kitchen

Knottie17826661

Hello hello! My fiancé and i are looking for some advice or suggestions- we are inlove with a reception hall that does not have a kitchen- open flame and no propane policy follow. The director said we can rent some kitchen appliances or we can have them setup outside underneath tents in the alleyway directly next to the building with stair leading into it- We are looking to do a progressive cocktail our as apposed to the traditional "sit down dinner" so we will have two or three stations setup for guests to help themselves and then the rest will be hearty appetizers on trays. So I suggested a gourmet food truck! But I wondering what you all have heard of or have done yourselves for a wedding venue without a kitchen. Thanks sooo much. Xx

LondonLisa

Knottie17826661 said:

Hello hello! My fiancé and i are looking for some advice or suggestions- we are inlove with a reception hall that does not have a kitchen- open flame and no propane policy follow. The director said we can rent some kitchen appliances or we can have them setup outside underneath tents in the alleyway directly next to the building with stair leading into it- We are looking to do a progressive cocktail our as apposed to the traditional "sit down dinner" so we will have two or three stations setup for guests to help themselves and then the rest will be hearty appetizers on trays. So I suggested a gourmet food truck! But I wondering what you all have heard of or have done yourselves for a wedding venue without a kitchen. Thanks sooo much. Xx

No open flame policy will seriously limit your ability to serve warm food. If it is a cocktail reception, this could very easily lead to a lot of very drunk people with not enough food. 

Your stations will have to be cold food, as the way that catered food is kept warm is through a bain-marie which most have an open flame or through propane catering  gas hobs.

I would definitely suggest hiring a food truck, although this means your guests will have to go outside to get warm food, which could be a nightmare. I love food trucks and have been to a wedding that had one, but it was a garden party, and the truck was able to pull up right into the party, so it was almost like a bar. What time of year is this? what happens if it rains? Are your guests going to have to queue in the cold for warm food?

Honestly, that is so restrictive, I would seriously consider another venue. Especially if it is at a meal time, you need enough stations/ apps to constitute a meal, and that will be all cold food.

This has the very real chance of making your guests 'hangry'.

Knottie17826661

The wedding is in June, and we have a Wait staff in mind to cater the food in from the truck to the people..the food stations would be cold stations and one pasta station. We considering the out weigh of hangry and/or drunk guests..that's what we're considering a food truck or two. All hearty foods.

atlastmrsg

No offense, but it kinda sounds like that venue sucks.  It basically doesn't allow food.

I'm having trouble how running pasta will work.  A chafing dish that guests then serve from...even though it isn't being kept warm?  Individual dishes (time consuming, sounds like guests will be waiting for food...)

Things that make me happiest at weddings: (1) awesome food; (2) alcohol that I don't have to pay for; (3) brief ceremony.  Bonus points for great dessert.  If there isn't great food, I don't stay.  I go to ceremony, have a cocktail at cocktail hour, and then start looking on Open Table for somewhere legit to eat.  

LondonLisa

I still don't think this place is good- they are essentially saying make all the hot food outside and bring it in the building. There is no way this can be done without making the food go cold. Food trucks serve individual portions in succession, not catering style bulk cooking and plating. That is the whole point of a food truck: to have it made to your order. It means whatever you serve will be cold as the waiters wait for the individual portions to be made, and serve them at about 10 at a time. 

Go to any food truck and order a hot meal. Then let it sit outside for 15 minutes and then eat it. I guarantee you it will not be very nice. 15 minutes is also very generous time it would take waiters to get the individual portions together and get them inside to distribute them. You, in reality, are looking at about at least 20 minutes from cooked to mouth.

A pasta station will not work without an open flame or propane. This just seems like your "vision" is more important than your guests comfort.

It seems like you are dead-set on this venue, which is a real shame because it means that your guests will have a cold buffet. Cold buffet in and of itself is fine, but I would have a cocktail or 2, have some cold nibbles, congratulate the couple and then, as @atlastmrsg said, grab some friends who were there and go get a hot meal. Especially if it is over dinner time. As long as you are happy with having a shorter reception, have a cold buffet.