Buffet catering… without the sandwiches?

The sandwich is a popular menu item for buffets for a reason – they are so delicious and versatile. There are many different types of bread and the choice of fillings is endless, and there are many ways to serve them – as squares, elegant fingers, dainty triangles, with or without the crusts. But is the sandwich now considered a thing of the past, or is it still an essential part of the buffet? Well, whether the sandwich should be included or not depends on the type of buffet you want.

The afternoon tea finger buffet – definitely yes

An afternoon tea buffet without a sandwich is unthinkable! One of its three principle ingredients is the deliciously perfect trio of sandwiches, alongside scones with jam and clotted cream, and beautiful cakes. And many places do a wider range of scrumptious fillings as people want something different to the traditional cucumber or smoked salmon sandwich.

The finger buffet – maybe

A finger buffet is an informal meal which is perfect for a lunchtime event or evening celebration. All the food is laid out beautifully for guests to help themselves and then go off to mingle with the crowd. The menu is likely to have a wide variety and contrast of food and combination of cuisines: a mix of savoury and sweet; hot selections alongside cold items; and BBQ, Chinese, Cajun and Indian style dishes alongside the more traditional. And there should be lots of it!

Sandwiches are perfect for this type of buffet as the food is bite-size, and the menu is made up of snack-type foods. There will be some who may believe sandwiches are passé and unimaginative, but the amazing choice of delicious fillings means the sandwich will always be at home on the buffet table. They sit perfectly alongside other finger food such as chicken wings, spring rolls, blinis, samosas, mini tarts, mini Yorkshire puddings, baby jacket potatoes and a platter of mixed crudités with dips – the list is endless!

The fork buffet – not really

A fork buffet is a cross between a finger buffet and a sit-down meal. Guests go and help themselves to food and then sit down at tables as if they are having a three-course meal. Usually there is only one style of cuisine and a limited number of menu items to mix and match. In this type of buffet catering, sandwiches will struggle to find their place as the food tends to be more formal and will generally be the type that needs cutlery to eat it with – hence the name.

So, the style of buffet will determine whether or not sandwiches are appropriate! When deciding your menu, be creative and speak to an experienced buffet catering expert who can bring your ideas to the table.

For more information regarding buffet catering, get in touch!