AUSTRIAN THEMED 80TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Appetizers & Dinner Buffet
136 East 76th Street NYC
12 Guests
Blog of the New Year 2025
New York City Apartment Buffet Style Appetizers and Dinner
Hello, 2025! Mastering Apartment Entertaining
Welcome to a brand new year! I must admit, I’ve been swamped and have let my blog updates slide a bit. So, here’s to fresh starts and diving into the art of Apartment Entertaining—a craft I’ve been honing for the last 30 years, particularly in the bustling environments of New York City and New Jersey.
Catering is a heartfelt endeavor that, while immensely fulfilling, also demands a great deal of mental and physical energy. There's plenty of behind-the-scenes stress involved in making each event perfect, especially when you're striving to create memorable moments for people you may not know very well. This blog is here to empower you, offering tips and insights for hosting parties in your own cozy apartment spaces, no matter how limited they may seem. I’m here to ease the stress and show you how it’s done with style.
An Elegant 80th Birthday for a Beautiful Austrian Lady
One unforgettable celebration was the 80th birthday party for a delightful Austrian lady, hosted right in a New York City apartment. My understanding of Austria was quite basic—a scenic landlocked nation in the heart of Central Europe, framed by the Eastern Alps. For this special event, I aimed to tastefully incorporate elements of Austrian culture, weaving in the red and white of the Austrian flag and traditional Austrian dishes without overwhelming the senses.
The celebration was for 12 guests, which led me to merge the existing dining table with a borrowed card table to comfortably accommodate everyone. The seating arrangement comprised the client's own chairs along with six simple folding chairs I provided, all harmonized under elegant white tablecloths and gold sparkly runners. The centerpieces, featuring tall white silk hibiscus flowers in clear glass vases and simpler fresh white hydrangeas arrangements alongside gold-tipped pedestal candle holders and gold and red votive candles, created a sophisticated ambiance. The table settings sparkled with 13-inch square silver chargers, pristine white dinner and salad plates, beautifully complemented by linen napkins tied with decorative red ribbons, silver-plated cutlery, and simple glass stemware for water and wine.
The food was artfully displayed on the client's immaculate white marble kitchen counter. A sparkly red table runner, accented with red silk hibiscus flowers and gold-tipped candle holders, tied in the thematic color scheme. Small silver chafing dishes kept warm dishes at the perfect temperature, and a large round silver platter showcased the salad. A South Tyrolean appetizer was elegantly presented on a decorative paisley red glass platter, perfect for passing around during the cocktail hour. Even the paper cocktail napkins were meticulously selected to match the red, white and gold theme, ensuring no detail was overlooked.
Beverages were set up on a borrowed five-foot table, adjusted to a convenient bar height of 42 inches in the living area, away from the main food setup. This separation is a tip worth noting if space allows. It can get really congested otherwise. The table was dressed with a white tablecloth and a red sparkly table runner, and enhanced with a tall flower spray of white hibiscus to integrate the overall color scheme. We organized wine and champagne glasses, along with silver ice tubs, glass pitchers, bar utensils, bar fruit, and coordinating cocktail napkins to ensure every detail contributed to an atmosphere of elegant celebration.
The moment the birthday lady entered her transformed apartment and her expression of amazement and joy greeted us, I knew all our efforts were immensely rewarding.
This event was a vivid reminder of how special and intimate apartment parties can be—turning familiar spaces into magical settings. Stay tuned for more stories from my catering adventures in small spaces, where we create big memories!
Here's a glimpse at some photos taken and the menu we served:
South Tyrolean Appetizer
THE MENU
APPETIZERS
South Tyrolean Appetizer
With buttered farmhouse bread, smoked Bacon, hearty mountain cheese, tomatoes, pickle & fresh basil on skewer
Asparagus & Mushroom Pie with Gruyere Cheese
New Potatoes stuffed with Bratwurst, red onions, Swiss cheese
Grilled Vegetable Salad
DINNER
SALAD
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Eggplant, Yellow Zucchini, Roasted Pepper, Portobello Mushrooms & Scallions over Mixed Greens
Served with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Asparagus Bundles with Goat Cheese & Mango Wrapped with Prosciutto
SALMON WELLINGTON
Filet of Salmon, Truffle Pate & Sautéed Mushrooms Wrapped in Puffed Pastry Garnished with Sautéed Yellow & Orange Roasted Peppers, Garlic, Scallions & Orange Hollandaise Sauce
Jager Schnitzel
Pan Pried Pork Cutlets with mushroom gravy
DESSERT
Individual Bundt Apple Strudel Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
