RATIOS TO VOLUME COOKING IS NOT ALWAYS A NUMBER

Now there is a ratio relationship between what you purchase and the actual food being served in a plated meal or a buffet. So let's use an average party of one hundred people and make those comparisons. It is important to note that with a buffet you need to be aware on your qualities, especially when it comes to your starches like potatoes, rice and some vegetables. On most events that I handled there are entrees that require some starch and almost all of the time there is a potato dish. I would suggest that you try to purchase this item ahead of time. My ratios will consists with a party made up of a hundred guests. Remember, if you do not use all of your product if stored properly ( like all tuber plants they should stored in a cool dry place, bulb plants grown underground ). Now when serving this starch for a buffet purchase at least 30 pounds of potatoes  it equates to 6 to 8 ounces per person for a buffet ( there should be somewhat of a fudge factors when it comes to servings for a buffet because you may serve either one or more starches and then the ratio changes to approximately 6 ounces). Now for a plated meal use approximately 20 pounds of potatoes which equate to 4 ounces per person.
You should  always be concerned for on purchasing enough vegetables and so for a plated meal it should be at least 16 pounds  which should equate to 3 ounces per serving . However, for a buffet you would purchase at least  20 pounds which is less than 4 ounces per person. Also, the ounces may vary from each vegetable  and usually in a buffet there is more than one vegetable served at a buffet but try to keep within 4 ounces. Now with a protein for example like meat purchase approximately 50 pounds which comes to p on a plated meal to at least 8 ounces raw ( the weight is measured prior to cooking ) per person. Yet, in a buffet it could be less, if you have more than one protein and typically there is always two or more, than it's  the same roughly 50 pounds but 6 ounces raw.
I can not go without mentioning rice, which can be tricky when establishing  a measurement for a single serving plated meal. It's usually 12 pounds and it means for a plated dinner 1 half cups of rice. Yet, for a buffet there is usually more than one starch so the ratio will be the same as plated , you are not always able to control the portion sizes and may prefer more starches served.
Finally, when it comes to sauces you can always figure on 2 ounces per person on a plated dish and at least 3ounces for a buffet for added waste.
Now with all this information on ratios, there is a method to the madness when building on a meal . So for a plated meal you start with your protein, then your starch and vegetable and end with your sauce. If it is a breakfast or lunch it always equal up to (12 ) ounces of food per person. So if you were breaking this down it's (4) ounces of meat, (3) ounces of vegetables, (3) ounces of starch and (2) ounces of sauce. For supper it is more up to (6) ounces of meat , (3) ounces of starch and (3) ounces for vegetables and (2) ounces of sauce. Now if we are discussing a buffet it goes the opposite way, first your dish starts with a starch then a vegetable a sauce and it ends with a protein.  Also, whether it lunch or dinner the ratio is always  one half  times more than a plated dish and it will vary depending on the amount of entrees you are offering.

My next article will be on Street Vending and it's loads of fun!

Signing off for now,

Chef Sam,

Wishing my lovely wife Phyllis a Happy Birthday , Love Sam