How to Throw a Graduation Brunch

Pick a mix of cold bites, dips, sliders and a sweet finisher so guests can graze without sitting down. For 12 to 20 people, aim for seven small dishes, not three big ones. Variety matters more than volume - it keeps the table looking full from the first guest to the last.

Set the table the night before. A long coffee table or kitchen island both work. Stack plates and napkins at one end so the line moves in one direction. Build height with a tiered cake stand or a wooden board propped on an upside-down bowl, then fill the gaps with smaller platters.

Peel strips of cucumber lengthwise for a striped look, then slice the cucumber into 1 to 2 cm thick rounds. Use the end of a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds, leaving a small well in each round. Place the cucumbers cut-side-down on paper towels for ten minutes to drain off moisture.

Flip the rounds, dollop a generous spoonful of herbed cream cheese into each well, and top with a tiny sprig of dill for color. Arrange on a plain white plate so the green pops. These taste better cold, so prep them the morning of and keep them covered in the fridge.

Dice cucumber, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives and red onion small - about a quarter-inch. This is the mini Greek salad that goes on top. Toss them in a bowl with a pinch of salt while you plate the hummus.

Spoon two cups of hummus onto a flat platter and spread it in a wide circle, using the back of the spoon to create uneven swirls and shallow dents. Spoon the Greek salad down the middle in a thick stripe. Crumble feta over the whole thing - don't mix it in or it disappears - and finish with a heavy drizzle of olive oil. Serve with warm pita and crackers on the side.

Toast sandwich bread until light golden. Let the slices cool for two minutes - any heat melts the sour cream. Use the rim of a sparkling wine glass to cut bite-sized circles from each slice. Save the trimmings for croutons later.

Spread a teaspoon of sour cream on each circle. Top with a small spoon of caviar - real or plant-based both work and the plant-based version is much cheaper. Finish with a tiny sprig of dill. Arrange on a long oval platter and serve cool but not refrigerated cold.

Slice a baguette into 1 cm rounds. For the goat cheese crostini, lay slices on a parchment-lined sheet, top each with a thin disc of goat cheese, drizzle with honey, and bake at 350F for ten minutes until the cheese softens and the honey bubbles. Don't be shy with the honey.

For the other two crostini, brush plain baguette slices with olive oil and toast at 350F for seven minutes. Top half with pea spread - blend two cups thawed peas with four tablespoons olive oil, the juice of one lemon, salt and pepper - and finish with microgreens. Top the other half with whipped feta and chopped olives - blend a block of feta with one cup cottage cheese, four tablespoons lemon juice and black pepper, then spoon on and scatter olives and thyme.

Slice fresh mozzarella and vine tomatoes into matching rounds. Cut nectarines into half-moon wedges and pluck a stack of basil leaves. Arrange mozzarella, tomato, basil and nectarine in a tight overlapping circle on a round plate. Drizzle with balsamic glaze in a zigzag - it ties the colors together.

For the watermelon skewers, cut watermelon into 1-inch cubes. Slice feta into thin rectangles roughly the size of each cube. Thread a cocktail pick through a watermelon cube, a feta slice, and a mint leaf. Repeat until you have 24 to 30 skewers and stand them upright in a shallow bowl filled with watermelon cubes so they look like a bouquet.

Slice Yukon Gold potatoes paper-thin on a mandolin - about 1 mm. Toss the slices in melted butter, kosher salt and black pepper in a bowl. Grease a muffin tin and stack slices into each cup, offsetting them slightly so they're not in straight alignment. Keep the stacks low - smaller stacks crisp better than tall ones. Top each with a generous pinch of parmesan.

Bake at 400F for 25 minutes until the edges are deep golden and the parmesan has crusted. Let them rest five minutes, then run a butter knife around each cup to release. For the sweet finisher, cut a store-bought chocolate cake into small squares, top each with a fresh raspberry, and arrange them on a tiered cake stand. Five minutes of work, and the table is done.