"jackie pace" > wrote in message
om...
> just like to thank everyone for their very helpful responses, and say
> that I've got 2 months to prepare, I am dealing with the hygiene and
> safety issues (course booked up), and will do a dummy run on chums.
> Breakfasts will be staggered according to when guests come down so I
> must be prepared. I will also consider black pudding and any other
> suggestions, and will prepare a ticklist for guests to complete the
> night before. it's the eggs that are gonna challenge me as they are so
> time critical.

Hi Jackie

I missed your original post but will have a look back. I run a youth hostel
and spend most of my life cooking breakfasts for 20-70 people. We have about
8 different cooked breakfasts on our menu, luckily with large groups most
people choose the night before, its the odd few that just turn up and want
breakfast that can throw things.

Eggs are the easy bit, once you get the knack ;-)

First, get a good pan. Don't try and save a few quid, get a good catering
grade pan, anywhere up to £60 is probably about right. I use a paella pan
that will hold about 10 eggs. Put in about 1/3" of oil and heat gently for
ten minutes before you plan to start your first egg. The oil should be very
warm as opposed to *hot*, just enough to set the egg white. In a very low
oven (or a hot plate warmer) have several baking trays. Start you first
batch of eggs 15 mins before the first breakfast is expected and cook just
enough to set the outer white and make the egg stable, the white around the
yolk should not be cooked at all. Put these on the bottom tray in the
warmer. Repeat the process cooking the whites a little more with each batch
to compensate for the reduced oven time as servery picks up.

Also, sounds pedantic, but remember what order you put your eggs in the pan
and remove in the same order. If it takes 5 seconds to get an egg in or out
of the pan and your doing 10 at a time the first one could be cooked for an
extra 50 seconds which on a 2 minute egg is a lot of cooking!

The trick is to practice, lots! Took me a while to get the knack and it
takes a few mornings to get back into the swing of it each year so don;t
expect it to be perfect to begin with.

Other things we do is to tray up bacon and cook in the oven, same with
sausages. We do this in batchs of 10-15 per tray and put them in 5 minutes
apart so we get a "perfect servery window" of about 20 minutes, after this
they're kept in a warmer. Beans we microwave, quick, easy and less hob space
taken up. Same with scrambled eggs. We don;t do boiled eggs, too fussy time
wise and takes too much attention. Kippers with scrambled eggs and oven
grilled tomatos is a firm favourite and very easy. Just chuck it all in the
oven for 15 mins, toast and eggs and its done.

If I can be of any help just post and I'll give you a more detailed
breakdown of breakfast servery.

Tony