Catering Considerations for any Function
Before starting any function, there are a number of catering issues that must be considered
Say you have the responsibility of organizing a large event, fully catered, for a large number of people. How do you go about to make sure that the event, and the food, are a complete success that leaves your guests brimming with compliments?
The key is like anything, be organized.
Organizing a major catered affair can seem like a daunting and overwhelming task but is does not have to be by keeping a clear list of objectives and criteria. This range from the guest list to any food themes to what serving style you will follow.
To begin with, before you can organise any food or drink or even the venue you need to be familiar with your guest list. Will there be many people? What is the relationship between them? Is it a business function or a family event?
Take these into account to compile a profile of your guests; this will assist you when deciding what foods to provide and when selecting a catering style. Think about the professional level of the guest list, whether it will be a long event (therefore seating will be absolutely necessary for all people at the same time) and the demographics of the guest list.
Demographics – this will be very important as if there are children invited you will need to have food options that will suit them while older generations may require milder menu options, a real consideration if you are considering a theme of Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine.
Also when thinking about your guest list be sure to consider any dietary requirements with the most common usually being vegetarian, vegan, food allergies, seafood or kosher.
Speaking of menu choices there is the fundamental choice when it comes to catering – sit down or finger food.
This should be decided by the type of event and how long it will go for, and of course, how much you are willing to spend.
Catering services have always offered finger foods as part of their menus but there has been a real shift towards using it as the primary source of food, such as cocktail parties. The options for finger food are usually quite restricted but it is a great option for a standing or mingling-style party.
However, if you are after a sit down, more formal event, then a full catering function is ideal with many menu options usually available.
Now this can be assisted if you have a theme or certain cuisine style in mind. By this we mean national cuisine styles with some of the most popular being Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek, Mexican and Japanese. Having an ethnic-specific theme will simplify things immensely when it comes to choosing a caterer, but be warned that locking yourself into a style may not please all guests.
When it comes to choosing your menu it’s important to provide several choices in both cuisine flavours and styles. A good rule of thumb is:
- Offer at least two choices of entrees
- Several salad dressing options.
- Offer two dessert options for both the health conscious crowd and the traditional dessert fare
- Always have fresh food and seasonal items available on the menu – seasonable will be cheaper while healthy options will be popular for the health conscious
Finally you will want to add the final touches to your event by decorating the venue in a theme or style appropriate to the cuisine, especially if you opt for an ethnic-specific theme. Yet decorating can extend to the way the food is presented. You don’t just want the food sitting on plain plates haphazardly. That won’t stimulate anyone appetite. Instead go for what is visually stimulating, with contrasting colours and flavours, with fruits mixed in with plates of salads or heavy sauces and attractive linens and table decorations.
By following these simple and easy ideas, it will take a great deal of stress out of planning a function. Simply by keeping track of your guests and putting their needs first, you will ensure that everyone will be impressed by your efforts, the catering and the event overall.
