Posted by Chef Steven on 5/9/2012, 10:47 pm, in reply to "150 kids at camp" Link: 'Round the Chuckbox
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First things first, Max. You need to write a menu for the week. I can send you the menu that I used for a similar camp, but you have to consider it was written for a much larger food budget. With only $2,800 (works out to $3.73 per person per day), you have a pretty austere budget.
Since the menu is the central document in any food service operation, it should reflect the likes/dislikes of the campers and staff. It must also reflect the available kitchen equipment and capabilities of the staff. It doesn't do any good to menu scratch pancakes if the kitchen doesn't have a griddle. With only 2 or 3 staff to do all the cooking, cleaning and dishwashing for 150, you won't have time or personnel available to prepare more than the most basic of menus.
Do you have access to the menu from past camps? If so, talk to the cooks from prior years and see how they planned and organized the kitchen. I cannot tell you how much to buy because you don't have a menu. Nor do I know the recipes that you plan to use.
Start by writing ideas down. What do you like to cook? In five days you should be able to cover all the basics, like macaroni and cheese, baked ziti, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, cheese pizza for lunch and dinner. Pancakes, French toast, coffee cake, eggs and potatoes, etc., will do for breakfast. You don't have the money to menu big ticket items. But you should be able to prepare plenty of food.
Here's a punch list of things you need to consider in the next week:
1—Write a menu. This must be your number one task in the next day or two.
2—Gather recipes. You need to figure out what items you will prepare from scratch and what you will buy ready made.
3—Put together a purchase list.
4—How many staff and campers are you feeding each day/meal? Does the number change during the week?
5—Are you serving on paper or washable dishes? Paper drives the cost up and up. Don't forget cleaning supplies.
6—Does the camp director want any special meals? At my camp, we prepared a special banquet meal for the senior campers on Thursday of camp. Plus I did several cookouts. Do you need to consider vegetarian meals and be ready for medical diets/allergies.
7—What are the legal requirements for the county and state? At a minimum, someone needs to be ServSafe certified (it's too late to take the test and get the results back now). Is the kitchen licensed by the county health dept, etc.?
8—Plan for KPs from the campers. This should be an action item with the camp director. Work with him to develop a cabin rotation plan.
9—Who will do the shopping? How are you going to get the food to the camp? We're talking about a lot of food here, several pallets worth. How will refrigerated food get to the camp?
10—Can you recruit more staff? 2 or 3 (include you?) means you will be working 12 to 16 hours each day with no time off.
11—Have you seen the kitchen? If not, go to the facility this weekend and see what the kitchen has and doesn't have (in terms of cooking equipment, dishes (serving dishes for family style?), refrigeration, ice, dining room (or outdoor space), hot water, dish machine, etc. A trip to the camp will answer a ton of questions. A face-to-face with the on-site camp manager should help.
Post your email address Max. I can send you some Word documents that will help with planning and organizing.
Where is the camp located? What type of camp is it?
Chef Steven
PS--Go through my blog. Many articles will help you plan and organize. See the camp labels (camp 2005, camp 2006, etc.) on the right-hand column.
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