General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I am a vegetarian. You've known me as a vegetarian for 20 years. Please do not invite me [View all]MineralMan
(146,309 posts)Over the years, I have cooked for people with every sort of food preferences and restrictions. I can prepare delicious meals for any of them. However, when I invite people for a meal, I think about who I'm going to invite in advance. I won't invite just one person with a food restriction if everyone else does not have such a restriction. Instead, I will invite that person another time, when there are others who share those preferences.
Planning and preparing an excellent meal for more than four people is a lot of work. It takes timing and space and lots of other things. Typically, I'm very, very busy as the time approaches to serve the meal. My guests are relaxing with appetizers and drinks and I'm bringing the whole meal together in the kitchen.
Adding just a couple of additional dishes to the menu will probably push me beyond my capacity. So, I simply don't invite people with food restrictions unless I'm feeding a group with similar restrictions. Then, I can focus on creating an excellent meal for my guests that suits everyone present. Different meals; different invitation lists.