Just as food is crucial to human life, so it is also important to any gathering. When planning the types of meals or snacks you are serving for an event, it is important for organizers to also consider the various catering items that will be brought along with the setup. Unfortunately, catered events have a reputation for being sub-par. As an event organizer, part of your job is to ensure that attendees aren’t just happy with how the food tastes but also with how the spread looks. Careful menu planning and coordination will ensure that guests and your clients are happy.
Here are six tips for planning a stellar catered event.
Know who your guests are and what they prefer.
Know who your guests are and what they prefer.Understand your guest profile so you can plan a menu based on what they want to eat. This is the first step to food appreciation and to also ensure that what you serve is consumed. For example, if the attendees are mostly senior citizens, then you’d do well to serve a mild menu that doesn’t have too many meat dishes. If the event will be attended by most young or middle-aged guests, you can bust out those adventurous and spicy dishes. Overall, the food that you will serve should depend on the kind of event that you are planning.
- Provide menu choices.
Offer at least two choices for the main dish, two to three dressing options for the salads, and at least two types of dessert (One healthy and one rich and indulgent). For the beverages, you can let guests choose among soda, juice, or water, or between tea and coffee for snacks. The point is, you can never really please anybody if you serve just one entree or don’t offer variety. This ensures that guests eat based on what they prefer and not because there was nothing else on the menu.
- Include fresh and seasonal items.
Timing is everything and that applies to food, too. Consider the season the event is being held in and try to incorporate items that are in abundance at that time. Spring and summer menu items are different from the types of food typically served in the winter or autumn. The warm weather may welcome fresh fruits and seafood, while the colder seasons may include more hot dishes and beverages.
- Consider regional or ethnic requirements.
If possible, plan your menu around a certain theme. Common ethnic food choices for catered events include French, Asian or Asian fusion, Greek, Mexican, Italian, and more. Again, consider who your guests are and the type of event you are organizing. This type of order will make it easier for your caterer or hired chef to create a stellar spread that will make everyone’s taste buds happy, compared to a menu that seems all over the place.
- Your menu should fit the schedule.
What time is your event being held? The meals you serve should depend on the schedule and the amount of time attendees are given to enjoy them. If it’s a breakfast meetup, then more cereals, breads, bacon, eggs, plus tea or coffee should be your minimum choices. Cocktail receptions usually take an hour before the dinner service so they should be comprised of finger foods that are quick and easy to consume (usually while standing up).
Plated meals typically last 1-1/2 hours while buffet setups are usually done within one hour. If the meal spread is expected to stay the whole day so attendees can just freely take what they want while the conference is ongoing, then your menu should have items that can hold their quality for longer hours.
- Take note of the final presentation.
Choose the right layout that will enable your event objectives, including cocktails and meals. If you’re organizing for just 15 to 20 people, a boardroom setup will suffice. You can have the meals plated-in or you can set up a small buffet table at a corner, depending on the availability of space and serving staff.
If you’re organizing a presentation or a symposium, a classroom style setup with a buffet spread outside is nice. If it’s a grand event attended by 50 or more people, buffet setup is also practical, especially if you’re short on serving staff. Regardless of your choice, make sure that tables are cleared of used plates and utensils so guests can continue with their activities without interruptions. This way, alongside remembering how delicious the food was, they will also not be bothered by the clutter.
