Hibachi South · Southern-style hibachi at home
Feeding theWhole Family Tree
Reunions bring cousins from three states and a few toddlers nobody has met yet. We cook in waves through the afternoon so the food stays hot for every table.
The reunion problem we solve
Every family that throws a reunion knows the routine. Somebody's aunt drives the ham down from Tennessee, the coolers multiply, and by four o'clock half the potluck is lukewarm. Hiring a hibachi chef takes the main meal off the relatives entirely. The food is cooked to order in front of the guests, a grill full at a time, and nobody spends the reunion standing over a stove.
How we feed 30 to 60 people
A single grill feeds a crowd that size in turns. Here is roughly how it goes:
- The first seating is usually the oldest guests and the youngest ones. Grandparents get a good chair close to the action, and small children eat before they melt down.
- Then come the next tables. Each round sits down, watches its own show, eats and makes room.
- The teenagers and the uncles who have been working the horseshoe pit tend to come last, and they are always hungry enough to appreciate it.
Tell us the headcount, the number of children and whether you want a sit-down meal or an open, come-when-you're-ready window. We will plan the timing with you before the date. For very large reunions, ask about adding a second chef.
Homeplace, church grounds, or a rental
Reunions happen everywhere: the old farmhouse outside Athens, a fellowship hall lawn, a rented cabin cluster near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, or a big beach house in Gulf Shores. What the chef needs does not change: a level, open-air patch about ten feet by ten feet, close enough to the tables that plates travel a few steps, not across a pasture.
If the venue is a church, a community center or a park, ask whoever manages it about propane cooking outdoors. For rentals, check the house rules. For a homeplace, just pick the flattest corner of the yard and keep it clear of the tire swing.
Generations at one grill
A favorite reunion moment is watching the oldest and youngest at the same table. Little cousins shriek at the fire, great-grandmothers pretend they have seen it all and then laugh anyway. Let us know about any guests with dietary needs, from low-sodium plates to food allergies, and the chef will cook those portions separately.
Reunions travel well. See the areas we serve across all seven states, the Alabama and Tennessee pages, and the menu for per-guest pricing.
How long does the cooking last for a reunion of fifty?
Plan on a longer window than a backyard dinner, since the chef works through the crowd seating by seating. When you book, give us the headcount and how you want the afternoon to flow, and we will suggest a start time.
Can some relatives eat later than others?
Yes. An open window works well for reunions where people drift in after church or long drives. Tell us the window ahead of time so the chef can pace the rounds.
Do you bring tables and chairs?
The chef brings the grill, propane, food and cooking gear. Seating and tableware are usually the family's job, and check the menu for any rental add-ons.