CATERING

Things to Consider When Planning a Corporate Event

Selecting the perfect menu and ordering the right amount of food is crucial. Your objective for the event should determine what type of food you provide and how it is served. When you goal is fun cocktail receptions are the most popular choice. Food stations or mini meals circulated by servers work best. However, there is nothing worse than being at a party and finding yourself with a plate of food in one hand, a glass of wine in the other and no way of actually getting the food to your mouth. Add a handbag to the situation and a woman could starve. High cocktail tables scattered throughout the venue can help alleviate this situation. Finger foods are another option eliminating the need for a plate and fork.

For more formal corporate events, or when there is to be a presentation, it is advisable to have your guests seated at a table. Plated meals, where meals are delivered to the table, avoids the distraction of traffic going to and from the buffet, and ensures that your guests are all served at the same time. Buffets, however, are usually less expensive and offer your guests a wider variety of menu items.

Most corporate events will require renting at least some equipment, table wares, glasses, linen, tenting and more. It may be tempting to lower your costs by coordinating the rentals yourself and thereby saving the make-up charged by caterers and event planners. However, although it seems a simple task, getting it right is vital to the success of your event and if you don’t know what you are doing you could end up in the kitchen washing glasses or driving to the gas station for more ice in the middle of your event. Coordinating rentals is not a simple task and is best left to the experts.

Similarly, cutting staff can seem like a way to reduce costs especially if the venue is smaller. Keep in mind the number of staff required is dependant on the number of guests and the menu not on the size of the space. A good rule of thumb for cocktail receptions is one server for every 20-30 guests and one (beer & wine only) or two (full bar) bartenders for every 80-100 guests. For buffet dinners one staff for every 20-25 guests, and for plated formal dinners one staff for every 10-20 guests.

Recruiting volunteers can be a great way to keep your budget in line as long as their responsibilities are made very clear well in advance. Too often well-meaning volunteers pitch in enthusiastically at the beginning of the event and then wander off to chat with other guests leaving the skeleton staff with more work than they can handle. If you want to use volunteers have a formal meeting in advance of the event and hand out a detail list of the tasks they will be expected to perform and clear start and finish times.

Clearly hosting an office party is a massive undertaking and, if not planned properly, they can be just as painful to attend. Choose an experienced corporate caterer to help you plan an appropriate menu and work through the details of service, rental and entertainment.

About the Author

Chef Louis Gervais founded Vancouver catering company Louis Gervais Fine Foods in 1998. He designs custom menus for a broad range of events and is known as a top caterer for large corporate events as well as intimate informal gatherings. He also creates warm and serve gourmet take-out menus. Prior to launching Louis Gervais Fine Foods, Louis worked at many of the top restaurants and hotels in Vancouver including the Wedgewood Hotel, and opened the AAA Five Diamond Sutton Place Hotel where he was Executive Chef from 1990 to 1996. He is a Maitre Saucier – or master of sauces – and either sauces or garnishes every dish he creates.

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