The foodies amongst us will be the first to admit that the meal is the real fuel of a party. No matter the quality of the entertainment, venue or guest speakers, people will always leave with an opinion on what they have eaten. If you want to make sure your event goes down a storm, catering is something to keep front of mind throughout planning. Here are some top catering tips to consider:
BUDGET
The key to nailing event catering is understanding what budget you are working with and knowing how to get the most from it. From how many courses you are having, to decisions on buffet style versus table service and how many guests are attending. It may seem like extra effort and admin, but drawing up a spreadsheet of costs and sticking to it will pay off in the end.
CATERING
Making sure you are offering the most appropriate style to guests is key to everything running smoothly. If you are looking for a special gourmet dinner that people will talk about for weeks to come, opt for a formal sit-down meal with multiple courses. If the ownness is on people mingling and moving around, with various talks taking place for people to choose between, a canape or buffet style may work better.
PORTIONS
There is nothing worse than having your eye on a certain dish and finding out they have run out and having to choose something else instead. To avoid this happening, be sure to give your caterer an accurate head count. If in doubt, overestimate on the number of people you need to cater for or pre-order the exact amount you need based on guest requests. It may not be best for budget, but not having enough food or serving up extra small plates is a sure-fire way to sour the taste in guests’ mouths.
MENU
The way to make your menu stand out as much as possible is by choosing the freshest, most trend-worthy food options to cook with. Top caterers will base their dishes on what is in season at the time, opting to use local ingredients to ensure their food is as flavoursome as possible. By adding a splash of colour and vibrancy to the plate, guests will immediately be intrigued and excited to taste their food.
Another great tip involves tapping into all major tastes – serving something slightly salty, sweet, bitter and savoury. If you can provide foods with a combination of flavours, you know that no matter your guests’ preferences, there will always be a taste to suit them and they will leave feeling happy and content.
ALLERGIES
As everyone has their own specific food preferences – be it through allergies or personal food choices – ensure everyone is catered for. It is a great idea to offer a selection of dishes to make attendees happy. A productive way to cater for as many people as possible is by choosing dishes which don’t prevent multiple groups of people missing out. For example, for either meat-based dishes or specifically vegetarian or vegan ones, consider making the meal gluten free as well. That way, you don’t have to spend too much time creating slight variations of every dish and catering for each individual taste.
Whatever the event you are planning, Everyone Events is on hand to help you serve up the best dishes. From bespoke canapes to Michelin Star quality plates, the team are on hand to make your event a real success.
For more information on our recommended catering partners or to enquire about availability and rates, check out the details on the Everyone Events website.