By Sebastien Centner

There are only so many precious Saturday nights free for entertaining and, let’s be honest, after a long week, hosting a full sit-down dinner can be a bit overwhelming. Occasionally, Sheila and I like to change it up by hosting a fabulous Saturday or Sunday buffet brunch. We’ll make it simple or elegant, depending on the mood and the crowd.

A couple of days ahead of time we plan the menu and take an inventory of platters, bowls, etc—everything required to display the food, including decorative items and glassware. I like to mix taller items such as cake stands with flat trays and crisp white baking dishes. In addition to traditional eggs, bacon and French toast, we serve fresh fruit, salmon (either baked or smoked), a hearty salad and veggie carpaccio so there are a lot of tasty options for guests with dietary restrictions. Cutlery roll-ups at the end of the buffet work best, as this leaves guests’ hands-free for serving. Elevate the event with a stunning dessert and add a “bubbly bar” with prosecco and fresh juices and you can’t go wrong.