Planning a party can sometimes be great fun but it is mostly just stressful. This could not be more true when organising a corporate event.
Whether it is a business meeting at the office or an offsite team-building, you want the food and the service to be top-notch, with no chance of any slip-ups, so that everyone can enjoy themselves, stay motivated and remember the event as a hit (and not a miss).
But how to make a corporate event a hit? Read our top seven catering tips to find out.
Prepare ahead
Mentally prepare the tasks you have to do for the night - no matter your role. A chef can go through all the steps to get the food to the table, the manager can decide what steps need to be taken to pull off the event, and servers can decide who will do what too.
For the staff, make sure all preparations - table cloths, setting up chairs, cutlery, napkins, etc - are done ahead of time; the chefs and kitchen staff will want to prepare as many foods ahead as possible too to alleviate any stress.
Know your numbers
Of course, you can only move forward with planning if you know your numbers, as in the number of attendees and the money you are willing to spend.
So be sure to do a headcount and get the budget approved. Be clear on your expectations when presenting your budget to your caterer.
Keep it fresh
Make sure the food is fresh. No one wants to eat food that has been sitting out for hours. Make sure to keep the food fresh and serve it promptly.
Prepare hot and cold foods
Prepare both hot and cold dishes for your event. If all your foods need to be hot to be delicious, the event is going to be extremely difficult to manage.
Monitoring many dishes’ temperatures and reheating foods will spoil the food quality and create havoc among staff.
Instead, prepare two or three hot foods that still taste delicious even if they are not straight out of the oven. Keep the rest of your menu items cool or cold and let them be the filler while partygoers wait for the hot foods.
Use your signature dish
Stand out from the crowd by using a signature dish or specialty cuisine in your catering menus whenever possible as this will become your calling card for future catering gigs.
Since a certain percentage of your future business will likely come through word of mouth, plan to receive calls for opportunities from past attendees who are dreaming of that one particular menu item you made.
Slice meat thinly
To save money, slice all big joints of meat thinly. Guests often take three slices of meat whether the meat is thick or thin.
Hungry guests can always go back for more, but they will often find that the protein they have taken is enough. Choose cheaper cuts of meat too and marinate and tenderise to maximise flavour.
Do not forget about the presentation
The way the food is presented can be just as important as the food itself. Make sure the food is nicely arranged and that it looks appetising.