Also, I do not favor gumbo with the rice cooked in. I think it tastes MUCH better ladled over/around a scoop of freshly cooked long grain rice.

Hush puppies don't really go with this menu, and are very difficult to produce for 200 people. You would be much better off taste-wise with pans of fresh corn bread, and it would be much easier. As well as French bread.

salad and dirty rice are OK. Still have you noticed there is nothing on the menu for a vegetarian to eat?

Also, this meal for this size group requires at least 3 serving lines (4 better, soup is slow to serve); at least 3 kitchen (4 better) and 12 servers out front to set up, serve and clean up. Make sure you have the help before you say yes.

Are there no plans for appetizers? At a ball, it would seem that they might be called for, and it does affect your food amounts.