A group dinner for twenty in a Kissimmee or Davenport vacation home

The large vacation homes around Kissimmee, Davenport, ChampionsGate and Reunion are built for groups, with ten bedrooms, a pool, a game room and a dining table that seats twenty. Cooking for that many people in an unfamiliar kitchen is another matter. Here is how we plan a group dinner in a large Kissimmee or Orlando-area rental.

Check the kitchen before the menu

Rental kitchens vary widely. Some have two ovens and an enormous island; others have one oven and four mismatched pans. We ask for the listing link and photos before we plan, then bring whatever is missing: sheet pans, chafing dishes, serving platters and enough good knives to work with.

Gates, codes and parking

Many resort communities have a guard gate, and most homes use a door code. Add the chef to the guest list, ask your host to share the code with us, and let us know where to park the work vehicle. Settling these details the day before keeps dinner on schedule.

Family-style suits large groups better than plated

For fifteen guests or more, family-style platters and a buffet on the island feed everyone at once, with room for seconds. Save the plated, coursed dinner for one special evening, such as a birthday or the last night, and add a server so it runs smoothly.

Cook for every age at the table

Reunions bring grandparents, toddlers, teenagers and a vegetarian cousin to the same table. We plan one main menu that most guests will love, plus a simple children's tray and a separate, labeled plate for every allergy or dietary need.

Make use of the pool deck

For most of the year, Florida evenings are made for dining outdoors. We set long tables by the pool, keep cold dishes in the refrigerator until they go out, and plan around the afternoon rain in summer.

Budget

Dinners start at $57 a person plus food, with a $830 minimum. Larger groups are staffed accordingly. See our Orlando page, the After-the-Parks Dinner, or send us your dates.