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This week's tip was submitted by Marlene at www.GardenPartyOnline.com

When we entertain a large number of people for dinner, we like to use our 8-quart, mirror stainless hotel buffet chafer either on a buffet table or hidden in the kitchen "staging" area for sit-down dinners.  Multiple stainless insert trays can be ordered for chafers so that one insert is filled for immediate serving while the other inserts are kept warm at 170 degrees in the oven.  Furthermore, we keep extra food-filled glass baking pans for a ready-reserve of additional portions to slip into our covered silver plate or copper serving dishes. 
 
If budget is a major consideration, we recently admired an outdoor brunch buffet idea at the Century Plaza Hotel-to-the-Stars in Los Angeles. A very large porcelain floor tile (about 18 inches square with felt dots on the underside that provided fire safety) was placed on top of the buffet tablecloth.  About six ordinary red clay bricks were formed into a 12-inch circle on their sides like a wagon train.  Plenty of room was allowed between the bricks for air exchange. Inside the brick "wagon train" were low heat sterno heaters (two or three small ones should do so that food doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan). The wagon train formed a 4" circular pot base onto which iron Dutch ovens were placed full of pre-cooked warm food that stayed warm for two hours.  Le Creuset enameled ware would work, too, as would a stainless double-boiler set-up.  Glass should not be used, as it cannot tolerate direct flame. Flammables such as napkins, floral displays etc. were kept out of the way, and the wagon train was set far back enough from the edge of the table to prevent the errant scarf or tie from catching fire or dipping into the food pots.  This idea works great indoors or out, and multiple setups on the same buffet table could keep 5 or 6 different entrees or side dishes warm.