Do it for Less Parties Tricks of the Trade from a Professional Caterer's Kitchen : the How-to Cookbook and Guide to Catering Your Own Party for 12 to 75 Guests Without Breaking the Bank

Many people can handle throwing a party for 8 or 10 people, but how many can successfully negotiate the trials of entertaining 25 or 50? Do It for Less! Parties has all the tools you need to plan efficiently and entertain flawlessly when cooking for a crowd. Packed with quantity recipes for 12, 25, 50, or 75 friends and family, this combination party cookbook, decorating guide, and entertaining primer shows today’s savvy hostess how to do it for less time and do it for less money without sacrificing one’s sanity or style.

The first half of the book focuses on the logistics of quantity cooking. It’s brimming with estimating guides, catering resources, and conversion charts that are useful for the professional caterer and home entertainer alike. The second half provides nine complete menus with 65 twice-tested, quantity recipes. All the menus include complete shopping lists in each quantity, a menu countdown, decoration ideas, and specific tips for shaving costs, time, and stress from your preparation schedule.

With more than 25 years experience and thousands of parties to her credit, Denise Vivaldo is unparalleled in the field of big-name catering and food styling. She has worked with the likes of Rachael Ray, Michael Chiarello, and Nigella Lawson, among many other heavy-hitters in the food world. She has cooked for all sorts of stars and dignitaries, from Bette Midler and Arnold Schwarzenegger to Prince Charles and President George H.W. Bush. She has catered the Academy Awards Governor's Ball, Los Angeles Magazine's Taste of LA, the Women in Film Tribute, and numerous post-premiere and wrap parties. Denise is the founder of Denise Vivaldo Group, Inc., and lives in Los Angeles.