What to treat colleagues at work: budget recipes for treats and organization

What can you treat your work colleagues on your own birthday, but still stick to the budget option? A birthday is a wonderful holiday, but to celebrate it you have to take care of many details. Since childhood, it has been a tradition that on your birthday you must treat your team and friends, and only then accept their gifts and congratulations. With age, the tradition does not change, but on the contrary brings more troublesome questions: buy or cook it yourself, turn to a catering company or do it yourself, and if you do it yourself, then what to cook and what to treat your work colleagues for their birthday?

What is a buffet

In the 19th century, the tradition of eating without sitting on chairs appeared in France. French politicians had a snack, standing next to the table with forks in their hands. Soon such a meal received an official name - fourchette, which translated from French means “fork”.

Today, a buffet is a convenient way to celebrate a holiday, spend time with loved ones, socialize and have a tasty snack. That is why the buffet table in the office has become so in demand.

“Regardless of the budget of the event, we put every effort into making the food beautiful and tasty,” says Sergei. — We take care of all the preparation of the buffet table; we can even purchase the necessary props ourselves, without bothering the client. I am glad that I work with real professionals in their field - honest, positive people who love the world of gastronomy. And in this I see the main advantage of Muscat Catering.”

The company is often contacted by Moscow companies that want to organize a buffet at work for a birthday or corporate event. Office catering is becoming increasingly popular, so Sergei and his colleagues have accumulated extensive experience in organizing such events.

Karaoke fans

A team that lives and works in complete harmony. A team whose members sang together perfectly, literally and figuratively. For karaoke lovers, no holiday can be imagined without music and songs, and your birthday will be no exception.

To sound in complete harmony, treat your colleagues to delicacies that are included in the diet of professional singers. Juicy fruits and vegetables will have a miraculous effect on the vocal talents of those gathered and will allow their voices to sound in full force.

If there are about 10 people in your team, try the Mini buffet set. Here you will find assorted dishes on skewers (melon with Parma ham, mango with shrimp, pear with walnuts, salmon with cucumber and avocado, Feta cheese with bell pepper), and a fruit plateau, and other tapas.

Buffet set “Mini” for 10-15 persons from Cote Catering — 7,100 ₽

For a crowded team, the “Assorted Rolls” set is suitable, which includes chicken, eggplant and zucchini rolls, as well as rolls with Riga sprats.

Set “Assorted rolls” for 15 persons from Fresh Day — 5,250 ₽

Basic rules for organizing a buffet in the office

If you want to organize a corporate buffet in your office, you will have to think not only about the food, but also about the space for the party, furniture, and the comfort of the guests. Here are a few key points to consider when preparing.

Format and room requirements

You can hold a buffet reception in the office in two formats: with the preparation of hot dishes or only with cold appetizers. If hot dishes and side dishes are prepared on site, additional space will have to be allocated for this.

“When organizing a buffet table in the office and inviting a catering service, you must provide a separate area for the so-called “back” - a place where kitchen workers and waiters can sit, says Sergey. “The size of such a room is discussed with banquet managers: they will help you choose the right space depending on the scale of the holiday.” In order not to damage the coating and furniture, the back rooms are covered with film.

Another important nuance is electricity. To prepare for large events, several pieces of hot food preparation equipment may be used. “The required voltage should not overload the office power grid and knock out traffic jams, so a detailed technical specification is prescribed for each project,” explains Sergey. — Sometimes electricians have to install a separate power line to connect kitchen equipment. But such stories are typical only for large companies and offices where the number of guests exceeds 150 people.”

If you don’t have space for chefs to work or you don’t want to deal with additional complications, you can always choose a simpler and more economical option for a light buffet at work - ordering ready-made snacks from the catering catalog.

“When organizing a festive table, do not forget about the smells. As meals are prepared on site or simply reheated, mouth-watering aromas will spread throughout the office. If you share a space with other companies, odors can reach your neighbors. Not everyone likes the aroma of food in the workplace,” the general director of Muscat Catering shares his experience.

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Necessary furniture

According to the expert, the set of furniture for a buffet table in an office is standard:

• buffet tables where treats will be placed;
• cocktail tables for guests to sit at.

The number of buffet tables should be calculated based on the amount of food and drinks and arranged so that guests do not create queues. It’s more difficult with cocktail tables: their number is most often limited by free space. One such table is designed for 4-5 guests, but in fact they have to accommodate up to 7-10 people.

“Catering companies prefer to work with their own furniture. It is easy to install, textiles are specially made for it,” explains Sergei Polyakov. “But there are situations when we are forced to use the client’s desks because there may not be physically enough space in the office for additional furniture.”

Buffet menu for a holiday in the office

For a corporate buffet, Sergey recommends choosing portioned salads and hot dishes, canapes, tartlets and any mini-snacks that are convenient to eat in one, maximum two bites.

The choice of dishes also depends on the budget. But most often the standard set consists of:

• 5-8 types of beautiful and bright canapés;
• 4-6 types of more filling snacks (for example, mini sandwiches and mini croissants);
• 3-4 types of salads;
• 4-5 types of hot and side dishes;
• 2-3 types of desserts.

But other options are possible: some companies limit themselves to pies and sandwiches, others offer guests a full range of canapés, ordering 15-20 pieces per person.

“In our opinion, the choice of treats should be balanced,” says Sergei. “Small canapés are just table decoration, and it’s better to feed guests with more substantial dishes.”

First, treats are placed on the buffet table, which do not lose their appearance and taste when exposed to room temperature. Appetizers with butter, caviar, and mayonnaise are best placed on the table last.

Beverages

This point is most individual for each team. Some people want to organize an inexpensive buffet and buy drinks themselves, while others order them along with other dishes from a caterer.

How to put your name down and how to surprise your colleagues?

Having to register at work on your birthday is annoying for some people. After all, there is so much to consider. I would like to celebrate the holiday cheerfully and surprise my colleagues with original dishes. By the way, such friendly events strengthen the team and help avoid conflicts with colleagues.

In this article we will try to make it easier for you to choose a treat for your colleagues and offer recipes for preparing dishes.

Snacks for BD

Snacks are convenient due to their compactness and simplicity: they can be prepared fairly quickly, and colleagues will be able to try several interesting flavors at once. Here's what we recommend serving to your colleagues on your birthday.

• Roll with cheese and ham. The recipe is familiar to everyone: take hard cheese, garlic, mayonnaise and ham. Then grate the cheese, mix with chopped garlic and add a little mayonnaise. Place the mixture on the ham slices and roll up the slices, securing them with a toothpick. The dish can be decorated with herbs or vegetables.
• Lavash rolls. In principle, the filling can be absolutely anything - the same as in the previous example; from crab sticks; from fresh vegetables, from eggs and so on. The main thing is not to add too much sauce, otherwise the delicate dough will soften and the appetizer will crumble in your hands.
• Canapes - a very common type of snack, popular absolutely everywhere: from sophisticated receptions to intimate home gatherings. Suitable for work too. The cooking options are endless: cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, pineapple and slices of ham, canapés with various types of cheese, avocado with lemon and olives... Each element is pierced with a long toothpick.
  

  IMPORTANT ! The main rule is an adequate combination of flavors, so be sure to taste your dish before serving.

• Tartlets. You can buy ready-made ones at any supermarket and quickly fill them with filling. Caviar, melted cheese with vegetables, mushrooms, pate are perfect.
• Chicken fillet. Wrap each piece separately in a strip of bacon and fry until golden brown, then secure with skewers. Can be served with tomato sauce.

Snack recipe video

I suggest watching a video with original and very simple recipes for birthday snacks:

Main dishes

Let's talk about the main menu. What should you prepare for your birthday at work to surprise your colleagues? Here are inexpensive and delicious dishes.

• Potato casserole with meat. The recipe is simple: boil the potatoes and mash them with cream and raw eggs. Fry meat and onions (optional). Place the ingredients in the prepared baking dish: a layer of mashed potatoes, a layer of meat, and then some mashed potatoes on top. You can sprinkle hard grated cheese or herbs on top of everything. Then bake for 20 minutes at 20 degrees.
• Cheese baked chops. Cut the pork into small slices, pound it if necessary and fry thoroughly. Place tomatoes and cheese on top (sometimes mayonnaise lovers add it too). Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Homemade nuggets. Chicken pieces need to be soaked in sauce (for example, soy sauce), rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. Adjika, ketchup or sour cream with garlic are suitable as sauces.

Salads

Original salads will also come in handy for those who are planning to make money at work for their birthday.

• Salad with chicken and champignons. Boil the fillet and eggs, fry the champignons. We chop everything very, very finely (for salad this is important, because finely chopped ingredients improve the taste), add a little pineapple and season with mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade.
• Famous and loved by many "Garnet bracelet". Not only is it delicious, it will also decorate any table thanks to its spectacular design. The salad is multi-layered; between each “level” there should be a layer in the form of sour cream or light mayonnaise sauce: put boiled potatoes on the base, then boiled chicken, and chopped beets and nuts on top.
  

  IMPORTANT ! We beautifully place peeled pomegranate seeds on top for decoration.

• The favorite Greek salad is good not only in everyday life. We cut fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, peeled from grains. Cut the feta into cubes, peel the walnuts, chop them, add the red Yalta onion. Put everything in a deep plate, season with a small amount of olive oil, mix thoroughly, throw some olives on top.

Salad recipe video

If you don’t have any time to prepare salads, but still need to present something to your colleagues, I offer you 10-minute recipes:

Dessert

In this section, you will learn what to treat your colleagues to leave them with a sweet aftertaste and pleasant memories of your holiday.

• In order not to suffer with baking, you can make delicious rolls . For example, the so-called “Bounty”, reminiscent of the candy bar of the same name. Grind the cookies, sugar and cocoa into a thick, homogeneous mixture using a blender - we get a “dough”, roll it out with a regular rolling pin. Make the cream: coconut flakes and butter. Spread the dough with this mixture, cut and wrap it to form a small roll.
• Smoothies made from fruits and berries may well appear as dessert. Milk and yogurt will enhance the texture of this dessert. Kiwis, tangerines, strawberries, bananas will come in handy... Your blender will be your main assistant. Fast, inexpensive and very tasty! Smoothies will be a great addition to your summer menu.
• A complete fruit cake. It is a sponge cake: break the eggs, separate the white and yolk, mix the first with sugar, the second with flour. Beat thoroughly. Place in a baking dish and cook in the oven for half an hour at 180 degrees. Once the biscuit is ready, divide it into two parts. One part should be placed in the base, after soaking it with strawberry or cherry juice, and the second part can be decorated with special confectionery cream. Between these two layers you should put fruit cut into slices. To taste: pineapples, grapes, bananas. To set the cake, place it in the refrigerator for several hours.

Video about preparing a delicious dessert

I offer you another interesting recipe for curd dessert. Quick and easy:

Beverages

Let's talk about drinks, including alcoholic ones. Some people think that it is impossible to get caught at work without alcohol. Others choose a sober birthday. Of course, a lot here depends on the community and the customs accepted within it.

• Drinking alcohol in the workplace is probably not a good idea, especially if you are not that close to your co-workers. But if you have a close-knit small team, then one bottle of wine or champagne will not harm.
• Among non-alcoholic drinks, tea and coffee are definitely useful - as an addition to desserts.
• Cool homemade lemonades are suitable as refreshing drinks.
  

  BY THE WAY ! They are much tastier and healthier than those sold in stores.

  For example, lemonade with lime, mint and lemon: just mix these elements in a blender (after removing the peel from the citrus fruits), cool a little and make ice cubes in advance to cool the drink when it is already in the jug.

• Punch with pears and lemon. Peel and finely chop the pears, put them in a saucepan, add a little sugar, add water and cook for 15 minutes. Strain, add lemon juice and ice.

About trends

Based on the experience of his company, Sergey came to the conclusion that the classic buffet menu remains the most popular even against the backdrop of the popularity of vegetarianism and proper nutrition. But when offering clients a catalog of dishes, catering companies always take into account the interests of vegetarians. Exclusively vegetarian buffets are rarely ordered, as is correct, for special events.

“Gluten-free cuisine is in fashion now, and we have already worked out a menu for such requests,” says Sergei. — But catering is a service of mass demand. It is extremely difficult to find a team consisting only of vegetarians or gluten-free consumers. Typically, the menu of any buffet table is a mix of the preferences of each employee of the company. Moreover, a buffet is a format in which the number of different items is extremely rarely less than 10-15, and usually 20-30 different canapés and appetizers.”

Cold appetizers

You can also serve quick cold appetizers to the table, which will surely please everyone. You can also read our article cold appetizers for the holiday table.

Sandwiches in a hurry

If you want something unusual and quick, then these are sandwiches. Here you will find more of the most delicious and simple sandwich recipes.

Buffet at business events

A buffet for the office is ordered not only for holidays, but also for corporate events: presentations, important meetings and negotiations, company anniversaries. Therefore, branding is often an additional service. “There are many options for such a service,” says Sergei Polyakov. — Flags, draping furniture in corporate colors, printing logos on rice paper, burning the company name onto baked goods and burgers. Even a corporate uniform for invited personnel is possible.”

For companies that want to organize a buffet for negotiations, Sergey recommends ordering all the most beautiful treats, with the most clear taste characteristics. Blue cheeses, onions, garlic - these are ingredients “for everyone.” For strangers, you need to select the most neutral positions, carefully reading the ingredients of the dishes before ordering.

“If you are planning a meal for guests at a corporate event, then the quality of food, its presentation and level of service are an integral part of the presentation of your company in front of partners and potential clients,” says the CEO of Muscat Catering.

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What you will need to organize your own buffet

If you decide not to order a buffet for work, but to arrange it yourself, you need to carefully prepare and not forget about a single item from the list of necessary things. You will need:

• tables for refreshments and tables for seating guests;
• tablecloths (preferably long, “floor-length”);
• plates (separately for the main table and for each guest);
• forks;
• glasses for alcohol and soft drinks;
• paper napkins;
• portioned ice cream cups (if snacks will be served in them);
• trays, boards, serving dishes;
• cooking tongs, which may be needed for some types of appetizers;
• flower arrangements, flags with the company logo and other decorative elements for table decoration.

Pizza

A budget option for a buffet table is pizza with various toppings. You can, without further ado, order several ready-made pizzas, or tinker on the eve of the holiday and prepare a treat with your own hands.

1. They sell ready-made pizza dough, which you just need to roll out in a thin layer on a floured work surface and decorate to your taste.
2. In addition, you can find special pizza flour on sale, which must be diluted with water or milk according to the instructions.
3. Stores sell flatbreads - the basis for pizza, already prepared; you need to put the filling on them and bake them in the oven or microwave.
4. The most industrious ones can prepare the dough themselves, for example, yeast or unleavened, to their taste.

As a pizza filling, you can use mushrooms, vegetables (olives, black olives, pickles, fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, herbs), onions, and any kind of cheese. It’s best to prepare pizza at home, and warm it up at work or try to bring it hot right to the table.