Catering for any large scale celebration can be daunting. Where will you hold the event? How much food will you need? When should you start the preparation? This book passes on the secrets of the trade to ensure that the preparation goes smoothly and that the food is just as good as the professionals can offer.
It includes a master checklist for the preparations with general advice on choosing the food and drinks, buying in ready-made items, estimating quantities, hiring staff and equipment and other practical considerations. There are five complete menus and drinks suggestions for each type of event: a drinks party with canapes, a fork buffet, a finger buffet and a sit-down meal, with guests varying in number from twenty to sixty. Menus include full preparation plans and recipes. In total there are 120 plus recipes, some with variations.

Judy Ridgway is a food and wine writer with more than 60 books to her name, including Running Your own Catering Company, Running Your own Wine Bar and Wining and Dining at Home. She also co-wrote The Catering Management Handbook with her brother Brian Ridgway, who at that time was Operations Director of the Thistle Group of hotels.

Before becoming a journalist and author, Judy ran a small catering company in central London called London Cooks Ltd. Parties of all kinds, including weddings and anniversaries, featured prominently in the work of the company and her experiences at that time have contributed greatly to the writing of A Banquet on a Budget.