The Smartier Way to Cater
Catering is one of the most significant parts of planning your party. Your guests may not remember the songs that were played or the color scheme you chose, but they’ll never forget the food and drink. To help you make a lasting impression, we’ve rounded up our top catering tips for your next event.
- Keep it simple. Good food speaks for itself. You don’t have to break out the flambe tables and champagne towers in order to impress your guests. They want simplicity just as much as you do. Self-serve setups such as dessert tables and cocktail stations will keep guests entertained and satisfied throughout the event.
- Be organized. The devil is in the details, as they say, and that devil will jump out to bite you if you haven’t planned your party accordingly. Get your guest count early on to make sure you have enough plates, utensils and napkins for everyone. There’s nothing worse than a buffet full of food, and a line full of guests, but no plates to serve them with.
- Serve dishes you love. Think about what you love to eat at parties. That’s where your menu should start. Do you have a favorite family recipe that you want to serve at your wedding? Or did you attend a conference once that had the most creative hors d’oeuvres? Use your experiences to shape the offerings at your event.
- And then share the love. Once you’ve crafted your menu, think about the best way to serve these dishes. Family-style dining is very trendy right now, allowing guests to pass large trays and creative containers around to serve themselves. Or maybe you want your guests to mingle, so bite-sized portions on modern mini serving pieces is the right fit for you. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s a fun and convenient method for serving your guests.
- Be sensitive to modern eating. Vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free...there are all kinds of preferences and allergies to cater to these days. You don’t have to strip down your menu to the meet everyone’s needs, just make sure there are delicious options for everyone. In our experience, fruit and veggies are friendly to nearly any diet, so make room at the table for some creative produce-centric dishes.
