Catering Events: Be the Talk of the Town

Catering events shouldn't be stressful. Whether you are a private chef in Philadelphia or provide catering in Charleston, host small parties in Los Angeles or take care of corporate events in Nashville, you should have one goal as the person in charge of a meal. That is, you must deliver great-tasting meals.

Know your guests and their needs

Nothing is more impressive to a guest than a host showing that they took the time to consider each person’s wants and needs. Give your guests an in-home chef experience by taking into consideration their ethnic backgrounds, where they currently live, and how often they get invited to similar functions. A host must also consider the guests’ professional level and the group’s general culinary tastes. You should also get to know the general age of attendees, or if there is a large minority group of one demographic, such as senior citizens. In mixed groups, you should take care to provide seafood and vegetarian options alongside your adventurous entrées. Furthermore, you would not want to unintentionally offend someone because of something you serve. Aside from these, it is important to note dietary restrictions like food allergies, intolerances, religious requirements, and voluntary restrictions like veganism.

Use seasonal items in the menu

The time of year and geographic location of your kitchens should also influence the types of dishes you would prepare. There might be popular fruits or vegetables in the region where you are holding the event; see if you could incorporate these in your dishes. Using items that are in season would cut down on transportation costs for ingredients, and will give you the freshest choices for your preparations. Coastal regions might also have certain types of seafood available during a number of months in a year; if you’re planning to include main dishes with fish or shellfish, consider this as well. You don’t want to go to the trouble of sourcing something that isn’t available in nearby waters during the time of your event.

Provide a variety of items for each category

It is quite lovely to retire to a lavish spread after a day of conferences or a lengthy ceremony. When planning your menu, you should provide more than one main dish. It allows your guests the chance to customize their plate; some people might not like seafood but appreciate chicken. Having several choices ensures that more guests would be happy with their plates.

Don’t forget the final presentation and the plating

People eat with their eyes and noses first, and their mouths next. Consider the table set-up and how it looks in contrast to your food. Your catering events should also be visually appealing; use plenty of colors and interesting textures on your dishes. What’s more, you should have fragrant and appetizing ingredients. If it looks good and smells good, your guests are going to want to dig in.

Conclusion

All too often, catered events are criticized for having subpar food. The logistics involved and the tight schedule of most catered events is handicapping to any chef, but do not let these stop you. By following our tips for planning a menu, you would surely generate good buzz for your food. Find a professional who can give you an in-home chef experience in Philadelphia like no other with us at Food Fire Knives. We have served over 2,400 meals in more than a dozen cities from the East coast to the West!