I am getting married in Fiesole in September and had planned a BBQ the day before for my 100 guests.Unfortunately the accommodation we are staying in forbids us from doing our own BBQ and is quoting 40 euros per head for a table/waiter service BBQ with average food and 1 glass of wine each. Basically they see the wedding pound signs!The deal they are offering is bit insulting and I wondered if anyone knew of any locations/restaurants near Florence/Fiesole which would offer a BBQ/buffet lunch for 100 people which is good value?
would really appreciate help on this!

I should also have said that we want to have an informal BBQ/ buffet lunch without waiter service. some standing, some sitting...very informal!

** Edited to add line above, "I should..." which appeared in separate, now closed topic **

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,

Try asking Fattoria di Maiano. Please note I am not recommending them, just bringing them to your attention.

Some time ago they had a really excellent self-service restaurant with BBQ on Sunday (or on special request) - I was there quite often. About one year ago they decided to give the restaurant to a chef, of course raising prices; but I did not appreciate his cooking (too much on the experimental side, not all the experiments went fine) and after a couple of trys I did not return.

But now one year is passed (in restaurant management, one year is a whole age). Maybe they have recovered. As the location is great, probably they are worth a try if you can be there in person and check if you like the cooking in advance.

Barbecue doesn't seem like such an Italian thing, so perhaps lunch with grilled meats or roasted meats is more like it? Anyway, if you've anyone on the territory to ask around, a destination that doesn't usually open for lunch may be able to work with you. It needs to be a place capable of handling 100 people, with enough toilets, etc. and chairs.
An agriturismo that's big enough, a country restaurant, thing is, not so many of them can handle 100 people. Off hand I can think of places I've been, but aren't big enough.
September is still high season, and they'd be giving up all regular custom.
Or you could ask various agriturismos about renting their common areas and hiring a porchetta truck and get a caterer to provide salads and drinks?
I can't think of any place that would allow you to invite 100 people over for a DIY grilling party!

Honestly, for 40 euro a head, I would say you are getting a pretty good deal. Tuscany is expensive, September is still wedding season and as my husband does catering, I know the prices, especially when it includes service. My husband's work does not do any catering with service for less than 65 euro a head. Wherever you go, you are going to be paying a premium in that with 100 people you will need at least 6 servers if not more plus there is transportation for buffet set up (chairs, tables, plateware, flatware and glasses) etc.

That being said, if you post the menu, maybe I could understand better why you think 40 is so much..

Thanks for your quick replies.Would you believe that the venue that has given me this quote is fattoria di maiano.I have booked the majority of the apartments there for 1 week as the wedding is nearby.The patio area at the back has a large BBQ area and they wont let us use it for 100 people.All we wanted was an informal lunch/BBQ with no waiters/tables and we could have brought chairs and little tables from our apartments. My parents are paying and just cannot afford 4000 euros. The menu they have offered below;
LUNCH BBQ - 1,30pm/4pm
WEDNESDAY 12/09/07
CLIENT: Ms. CATHERINE MCKEEVER
GUESTS : approx 100
BUFFET and BBQ served in the courtyard (buffet service with tables
available )

MENU':
- Tuscan croutons and roasted bread with fresh tomatoes
- Mixed sliced meat (salami, ham, finocchiona etc )
- BBQ with Roasted pork, sausages, grilled wurstel
- Mixed salad
- cold pasta salad
- mixed selection of bread and schiacciata
- ice cream and fresh fruit salad

DRINKS:
- Red and White Chianti wine (1 bottle every 4 persons)
- Mineral water

Euro 40 per person ( service, vat and taxes included)


I think it is not value for money at all and for people to have more than 1 glass of wine, we will have to pay more.surely there must be a better option?!!

thanks for everyones help thus far!

See if they will come down in price if you do not have the servers. 1 bottle for every 4 people is standard as some do not drink, some are children, etc. If you feel that this is not enough (remove the amount of children and non drinkers from the full count and see where you come in at) Figure you would need about 1 bottle for every 3 people who drink and are adults and then ask for a new price with the addition or ask if you can have a low cost wine that you would pay for by the bottle for overage.

The menu is standard.

For the chairs and tables, honestly, if I was the owner of a property that I was renting out I would not want people bringing the indoor chairs outside. They get scratched , may get damp, etc.

Really, I don't think that the cost is bad. I doubt you could find anything less, as a matter of fact, I think they are giving you a break since you are renting a bunch of their properties.

We had a GTG last year for 100 people. Sliced meats, grilled veggies, pasta salad, rice salad, green salad, pizza, mozzarella and tomoato, wine, water, dessert and the cost was 20 per person and this did not include servers. You have to think of the damage too that 100 people cause. 100 is a lot of people.

In all honesty I think it is not bad.

You have to consider also the mess 100 people will make, doesn't matter if they are well behaved.

I honestly do not foresee ANY business like a B&B or an agriturismo that WOULD LET YOU USE the space, place, facilities, commodities etc for less than that.

About the one bottle each 4 people this is quite standard. It means that those bottles are included in the price, and you would pay the extra.

I think your only alternative is to find a restaurant with 100 tops and book them all. That's a lot of people.

Life in Paris may have warped perception, but the price, 40 euros per person, does not seem unreasonable, and one bottle of wine amounts to more than four glasses, last I struggled through a bottle.

Dave

Moved Reply:

Who puts the food out and clears away dirty dishes and the service itself? Who cleans up the space 100 people have used? Who keeps the toilets usable?

Even 50 people in my garden create too much of this work to be repeatable.

I think it's excellent! I am sure you are not going to find a good service for less than that.

Just a question, are you going to get married in a Catholic church in Fiesole or at the American Episcopal church in Florence (via Rucellai)?

In reply to Judith, the answer is we would do that!I have a very large family with 6 younger brothers and sisters, lots of aunts and uncles who are all willing to help do that.I know what you are saying but we have big parties back in Ireland a lot and mucking together to tidy up is second nature!
In reply to Itarchivarius, catholic church in Fiesole.Why do you ask?

quote:

Originally posted by CATHERINE MCKEEVER:
In reply to Judith, the answer is we would do that!I have a very large family with 6 younger brothers and sisters, lots of aunts and uncles who are all willing to help do that.

I understand that and please understand that my answer was not an implication that you would have left a mess.

I just don't believe that you would find a place that would let you do that, including cleaning.

One thought, maybe, I say maybe, you could find a place like a nature oasis that usually have spaces devoted to barbecue and picniks, maybe you could organize a picnick? With the permission of the direction of such places?

Catherine, I have a large family back in the US and we too would have parties where we all pitched in but when it is not your property, you have to understand that the owner needs to be a little cautious. While it may be fine if aunt Mary breaks a few glasses at her cousins house, it may not be the same if she does it in a rental property with someone else's belonging.

Ale, great idea. Catherine, check out Parco Cavriglia as they have BBQ pits and you could make a picnic out of it with everyone picking up the goods at a local deli.

Christina, I hear what you are saying.It is just difficult when you are used to doing things a different way at home and for a different price.
I guess if we had been offered something similiar to what you mentioned earlier re food etc without service for 20 euros, I would feel like the choice was not so stark.my parents run a guesthouse in Ireland and try and work with the guest and I do not feel there is any compromise/negotiation.
Maybe I should look into the restaurant idea, looking for a large restaurant who could provide a buffet lunch and be open to a private party for a few hrs.
I really appreciate every comment!

Ale and Christina,that is certainly another idea!thanks so much!

Finding a restaurant large enough is going to be hard. You would probably have to try a hotel and with that you have the fee for the room. All of the agriturismi around me for example that host weddings and such, charge for the use of the property. Around here, anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 and that does not include the catering.

You may look for a resturant, but the price may be quite highier. A cost of 50-60 euro per person for a wedding bouffet is quite average: I would honestly grab the 40 euro opportunity.

I agree with whoever suggested a campsite.

Will everybody have a car? Can you cook in your apartments? You could prepare your own BBQ and take it there, or you could buy the charcoal, and BBQ at the campsite and prepare the side dishes at your apartment. Or maybe you could buy part of it already prepared and make the rest. Here is another one.

Ginger

A couple of replies:

1. for 40 euros per head, you could try contacting "Il battibecco" at Impruneta, a fairly large restaurant in a green area. I managed to bring a group of 20 for something like 45 euro per head, so there should be some leeway for a group of 100

2. I was asking about the church as the Episcopal church has a nice underground room with kitchen just below the church that could seat 100. But I would not bother asking them if you are not going to marry there.

From what I understand this would not be the wedding dinner, but the night before, isn't it?

I think if you find a restaurant that can keep 100 people, they will be thrilled to have you for no extra charge but the dinner price. You could even be able to negotiate a good price for a fixed menu.

Will you have cars?

Take a look at these links:
Restaurant in Florence

Villa Campestri

Catherine:

Since your family is used to doing for themselves the idea of reserving a park/campground seems like the best. You can go to a meat shop a couple of days before and pre-order how many sausages, how much pork, whatever you will need. Take the meat to the park and cook it there. The salads and sides are easily pre-ordered. Ask at the meat shop, they may have them or they could give you a referral.

Or if you don't want to cook find a rosticceria and pre-order 20 chickens, 20 kilograms of porchetta, etc.. They will pack it up for you to go.

Whatever you decide you would have to purchase paper plates, napkins, vino, whatever else.

You could also look at hiring a chef to do the cooking.

Is any of your family going to be staying at a self-catering or camper park near you? One of the bigger parks? They could reserve the "general area" for a private party. Even if you have to pay up to 500 euro it still would be cheaper than a restaurant.

I would suggest that whatever you do you nail it down NOW as your lower cost options are decreasing every day.

If you want to have indoor seating, etc. I'd suggest starting another thread asking if anybody knows of any restaurants in your wedding area that have a price fixed "tasting menu" then reserve 100 tables.

I don't know how it works in Ireland but here in the USA it is typical for the host/hostess to provide one or two drinks and after that the attendees are required to pay for additional drinks. This is due to liability issues. I don't know how the law work in Italy but based on Pauline's experience they do tend to be a bit litigious.

Like you I think it would be doable for a whole lot less than 4,000 euro.