Suggestions for Veggie Wedding meal

Emerald Lass

Hello Ladies and Gents,

some help required.........

I need suggestions for some nice veggie options for my wedding meal. Soemthing a bit special. Here's the story........

my wedding is in 4 weeks. We are having our sample meal on Friday. Now previously I spoke with the wedding coordinator in the hotel, and explained that I was not overly impressed with the veggie options on the menus. The booking was made only on the condition that some other alternatives would be given. I was told there would be no problem with the chef making something else for me. I was told that the chef was fantastic and would be have no problem coming up with something special. All good I'm thinking.

So today went in to see what was on offer for the meal tasting. Handed the same veggie options as before
(namely, 2 diff types of stir-fry (yawn),penne pasta with tomato and basil sauce (dolmio anyone??), goats cheese tart with roasted pepper sauce (ok, but nothing special, and we are having mini goats cheese tarts for canapes later, so don't want that) and a risotto with parmesan (eh, not veggie! parmesan!!! hellooooo?????). So I again said, sorry but while I am sure the chef cooks these things quite nicely, and most likely better than myself, basically everything on that menu is either not veggie or something I could have at home. Its my wedding day, I want something special of course.

Ok, I was told, I'll chat to the chef and give you a call later with some suggestions.

Wait for it..........

got a call offering asparagus spears with bernaise sauce.
thats it. no other suggestions!!! and that sounds more like a starter than a main - actually one of the starters is asparagus and salmon, so it is actually half of a starter on their menu.
Then I asked what would it be served with? eh, a selection of veg.
So basically for my wedding meal they want to give me a plate of boiled veg and a butter sauce!!! are you kidding?????

I am quite annoyed that a qualified chef cannot think of something better than this! and its particularly annoying cos the meat/fish options on the menus are wide and varied, and have a bit of flair to them, not your usual run of the mill - but the veggies get the usual stir fry or pasta!

So now I am thinking that the chef has no originality and am a bit worried! I think it might be best to literally give him suggestions since he doesn't seem to be able to think of any himself! But of course, now that I have to think of some, my mind is blank! :rolleyes:

So I am hoping some of you lovely people will give suggestions for 'restaurant' quality meals. Basically something special - more than what you could make at home.

You help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

many thanks,
E

ztoical

My aunt had an amazing veggie nut roast with red onion marmalade at her wedding served with garlic spuds and a salad, yum.

I made this the other night, my attempt was half assed but I'm sure a proper chef could do something very fancy.

John Mason

i feel so sorry you, being a veggie myself, i am so sick of crap wedding food

it must be worst to be the bride

why dont tell the chef what your favourite dish is

am i sitting here wondering what i would want for my wedding meal

Paige Turner

I have a few nice recipes that I will post when I can root them out - I will have a look for them now! Here is a lovely site though with really nice veggie meals for special occasions!
http://vegkitchen.com/recipes-galore.htm

This page in particular have some really nice recipes for starter, mains and dessert

http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm

Tar.Aldarion

I'd almost consider flying in some chef from a veggie restaurant we were at in paris for my wedding, (not that I'm gonna have one honey :P)

Maybe look at some good veggie restaurants aroudn the worls on the net etc for ideas?
http://www.cafeparadiso.ie/dinner

sweet-rasmus

Oh congratulations!

I know that Cafe Fresh make food for occassions. Perhaps ring them and ask what they would provide for you. Not that you would order from them, but perhaps they might offer good ideas.

Equally, as suggested, look at the mains for veggie restaurants.

It is a pity though, that the best food to make would be something you'd make yourself. And that penne pasta?! That is a terrible insult to veggies which always appears on menus.

You might get some ideas here: http://www.vegsoc.org/caterers/index.html
And the booklet on this page has some ideas also: http://www.vegansociety.com/food/Vegan_Catering_for_All/ (there is a downloadable pdf abailable to download in the last paragraph which includes some main course ideas; stuffed vegetables are suggested and a lasagne recipe is suggested). The booklet is aimed at vegan food, but I'm sure it'll give you ideas.

Let us know what dishes you decide on. This is an issue which we haven't really discussed here before and I think it's rather an important one.

Orby

After I had tasted what my hotel were suggesting for my wedding meal, I decided to give them recipes. They were totally fine with it and meal was great.

Emerald Lass

thanks to everyone for the replies - all really helpful.

As you said pink fluffy bunny, when you are kind of put on the spot and have to think of something 'special' its quite hard. I mean that is the whole point of a menu, isn't it? so you can read it and spot something that you like the sound of. Its a bit of pressure to think of something myself, and then hope he gets it right, otherwise it could be a dissapointment.

I was totally gobsmacked with the asparagus suggestion! don't get me wrong I love asparagus, but when the total meal would consist of a plate of - in essence - boiled veg I just saw red! :mad:

Right, I'm off to trawl the links you all gave me and hopefull I will be inspired and then I can inspire the chef! :rolleyes:

Wish me luck, and if any of you think of anything specific or have other link I would be most grateful.

thanks again everyone!
E

Rowley Birkin QC

Had to laugh when I saw the topic, I was at a wedding lately and had the vegetarian option. On the menu it was "Fresh Penne with a tomato and basil sauce", boring as hell but it was the only option.

What I got tasted distinctly of Teso pasta and some kind of sweet and sour sauce.

flikflak

I think your best bet is to have a look at the veg society caterers pages as linked to above and choose what you want. Print it off and take it into the restaurant and speak with the chef.

It is funny that these profesisonal food people cant come up with anything other than pasta and tomato sauce, stuffed peppers or a plate of veggies!

Good luck!

Slaphead07

Orby wrote: »

After I had tasted what my hotel were suggesting for my wedding meal, I decided to give them recipes. They were totally fine with it and meal was great.

that seems to me to be the way to go.

Emerald Lass

I agree - I think I will literally have to tell the chef what to cook. Crazy though, seeing as he is supposed to be a professional chef! Perhaps I'll go in and cook it myself, save him the appalling hassle of actually having to think outside the meat and two veg box!

my mate is a chef, and whilst he says it can be difficult sometimes to think of something for a veggie off the top of his head, he has his notebook with dishes and refers to that when required. I told him of my situation and he said that the chef asking you what you want is ridiculous - very unprofessional. So between him and all of your kind suggestions I should find something. have printed off a few menus. Have postponed the tasting tonight so that I can meet him next week and discuss it with him. Fingers crossed, eh?

Emerald Lass

SOOOOOO P*ssed off now........
just got off the phone with the banqueting manager regarding the veggie menu. Again options including parmesan were suggested. For the second time I pointed out that this is not a veggie cheese. So off she went and spoke to the chef. The reply from the chef is that ALL cheese has animal rennet and there is no such thing as a vegetarian cheese!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!
I politely pointed out that clearly the chef doesn't know his arse from his elbow and should read up on the internet about veggie cheese. I pointed out that I buy several types of cheese each week, all veggie, so he is living in the past!

So the response was that I should email him some menu suggestions and he will let me know if he can cook any of them. I said I was very shocked to see that he does not have any recipes in his repatoire other than stir fry and pasta with tomato sauce. So rather than HIM go on line and look up recipes and then come back to me, I have to go and do that for him. I am so annoyed.

At this stage I can't cancel the wedding or change venue. If these conversations had happened when I was booking the hotel I would have gone elsewhere. When I booked I asked about the veggie meal, other than what was on the set menu. I was handed this folder with about 30 other lovely veggie meals in there. Happy days I thought. Just found out that this was the old chef's, and he took it with him (or some such nonsense).

I mean its like a meat eater going into a restaurant and being told ' oh we don't have any menus, but what would you like and we'll tell you if we might be able to make something like it'!!!!!
Right, I think me and this 'chef' are going to have to have a serious 'chat'!
wish me luck!

sweet-rasmus

Oh God! I don't see this chef getting any better. Are you sure that the catering venue/company can't be changed? Your phrase about the chef doesn't know his arse from his elbow makes me want to scream. How infuriating!!! I can't imagine your stress for the wedding, but I am familiar with someone (a restaurant) saying they can cater for veggies/vegan no problem, and then you turn up and you see that it was a waste of time believing for their answer. I'm sorry that I can't recommed some fantastic catering company who will whisk you off your feet. Someone has to have an ideal solution

On second thoughts, if you can give this daft chef some recipes and he can promise to provide a selection (organised in advanced) as an option, then we just have to accept that he doesn't know better, but at least he can follow your orders. Confidently threaten to take your business elsewhere and he might think twice about messing you around any more.

Oh, and if he doesn't understand about the cheese etc, then just go and buy suitable cheese and throw it at him! I think you are going to have to be detailed, or he might cut corners. Obviously he is taking this veggie thing too lightly; you have to make sure you don't get chicken stock or some derivative of fish in your dishes; be very specific. This session had better teach him a thing or two about how to deal with veggies.

Good luck! And do feel free to keep venting here. Hopefully you'll get some more good advice. If anything, we understand.

ztoical

It's a little shocking that a professional chef doesn't know about veggie cheese or how to put a veggie menu together. I mean of all the requests you'd get as a chef surely putting a veggie menu together is easy and I'd guess fairly common nowerdays. I'd hate to imagine if you had a more complicated dietary request like say a celiac friendly menu.

EastWallGirl

That confirms everything I have ever thought about the hospitality industry in this country.

http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/ARTICLE.aspx?id=39685

The OH and I make this all the time, we generally only use mushroom and eggplant (he cannot really do capsicum/peppers) and this turns out great the whole time. You do not need the parmesan in the white sauce, but I do recommend fresh nutmeg it just tastes great.

And you cad add subtract whatever you like so little roast tomatoes, courgette maybe baby spinach, maybe thinly sliced roast pumpkin.

I recommend this for a few reasons
1 by the sound of things you may forced to cook it yourself or a friend.
2 You can get a really big catering tray and that should be all the portions
3 You can go as is but it is really easy to make changes.
4 It can be pre cooked and just heated up at the hotel (remember the foil)

Also when I make it normally I double the white sauce because I like a real generous layer.

With a nice salad it would be lovely and filling and a little different.

I cannot believe how often they wheel out the goats cheese tarts, all the veges I know are bored with it by now.

Can you imagine the profit margin on Penne with a tomato and basil sauce???????


There is so much that can be done Spinach and fetta slice, roast pumpkin risotto with feta.

I am so angry for you I will even offer to make to for you.


Best of luck

Emerald Lass

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

Oh God! I don't see this chef getting any better. Are you sure that the catering venue/company can't be changed? Your phrase about the chef doesn't know his arse from his elbow makes me want to scream. How infuriating!!! I can't imagine your stress for the wedding, but I am familiar with someone (a restaurant) saying they can cater for veggies/vegan no problem, and then you turn up and you see that it was a waste of time believing for their answer. I'm sorry that I can't recommed some fantastic catering company who will whisk you off your feet. Someone has to have an ideal solution

On second thoughts, if you can give this daft chef some recipes and he can promise to provide a selection (organised in advanced) as an option, then we just have to accept that he doesn't know better, but at least he can follow your orders. Confidently threaten to take your business elsewhere and he might think twice about messing you around any more.

Oh, and if he doesn't understand about the cheese etc, then just go and buy suitable cheese and throw it at him! I think you are going to have to be detailed, or he might cut corners. Obviously he is taking this veggie thing too lightly; you have to make sure you don't get chicken stock or some derivative of fish in your dishes; be very specific. This session had better teach him a thing or two about how to deal with veggies.

Good luck! And do feel free to keep venting here. Hopefully you'll get some more good advice. If anything, we understand.

thanks for that SR. unfortunately i can't change the venue or catering -the wedding is in 23 days! and the hotel don't allow external caterers. As I said, when I originally asked about alternative veggie meals to those on the menu I was shown quite an impressive folder with many recipes - just turns out these belonged to the old chef who has since taken them with him!

As you said I can only hope that although he is rubbish at making a veggie menu, he may be perfectly capable of cooking something I provide the recipe for. Having said that the main one I thought of, turns out not to be suitable, as it needs to be made to order there and then and with 50 other people to feed also, the timings would be off. So now I have gone back with about 6 others. I haven't heard from him since Sat, so I'll let you know what his response is. Hopefully we'll have to sorted soon and I can have a sample of the meal at our tasting before the big day.

I'll let you know how it goes - the really annoying thing is that the wedding has been a realatively low stress affair to date, and I have not had to be a bridezilla even once - until now that is!!!

Well he better get it right or I'll be refusing to pay for ANY meals on the day - and I'll be letting them know that well in advance too, so they have no excuse!

Wish me luck........:(

sweet-rasmus

best of luck am glad that all other wedding wedding preparations have gone well.

bronte

That's an absolute disgrace!
It really winds me up when I see this 'can't be bothered' attitude from chefs and restaurants. :mad:

Weyhey

This is terrible!

So veggie cooking may be thinking outside the box for someone who is used to cooking meat and two veg - surely this is what a chef's years of training is for???? Anything other than pasta seems to be a challenge most chefs are not talented, skilled or even bothered enough to take. Grrrrrr...

- Can you tell the hotel manager/wedding organiser that you are talking to a solictor because what you were told before you agreed to go with that hotel and what are you getting are not the same?

- Have a look at veggie menus from other hotels such as Shannon Oaks, Slieve Russell etc - surely if they can do these dishes in large quantities then your hotel can?

http://www.shannonoaks.ie/downloads/WeddingBrochure2009.pdf

- What about giving the chef a list of irish vegetarian cheeses to pick from eg Desmond or Gabriel to use instead of parmesan

- What about getting your chef friend to liaise with the hotel leaving you to look after other areas?

Please, please let us know how you get on. The very best of luck, it will all work out on the day - just enjoy the day.

Aoifums

Have you thought about Cafe Paradiso style food? I haven't been, but I've heard their food is out of this world. Proper resturaunt food that happens to be veggie.

That chef is disgraceful. How many years did he train for? And all he can think of is pasta or tarts...

kraggy

So disheartening, isn't it?

One thing to remember is that your agreement with the hotel to having your wedding there was based on the fact that there were options for your meal. That part of the bargain has been withdrawn by them and so you have a case to get compensated somehow.

I'd be threatening to go legal on them if I were you. They'll soon find something to cook for you then.