If you’re planning on serving food at an upcoming catering event, you must have a solid understanding of how to prepare and present it in a way that will impress your guests. Here are a few simple tips and tricks to help you get started.
Smaller Portions
If you’re planning a catered fete, you’ll want to know what’s up. You’ll need to stay current with food trends with so many food faddists in the mix to keep your guests happy and your event on the calendar. Here are some starting points to assist you. Look at the types of meals you’ll be serving first. A luncheon, for instance, might call for a more relaxed approach than a formal dinner. The next step is finding out how many people you will need to feed. Consider how much of each meal you’ll serve and whether you can reheat leftovers before you do them. The kind of hot food display equipment must be chosen carefully to maintain the temperature of meals. After that, you’re ready to go!
Stacked Plating
Stacked plating is a technique for adding visual interest to a dish. It avoids the cookie-cutter look of traditional plating. This style uses sauces, garnishes, and other elements in a cross-section to emphasize angles and create a variety of visual textures.
Placing food in layers is a way to add interest to a dish and stimulate the guests’ eyes. Food can be stacked in several ways, such as overlapping components or in free-form patterns.
The height of the plate can also affect the overall experience. A taller plate will help the food appear larger. In addition, it can stimulate the eyes by causing them to focus on the plate.
Plates are available in various colors, shapes, and textures. Select a dish that will complement your theme and serve the ingredients you plan to present.
Rectangular or U-Shaped Table Configurations
If you’re planning to serve food at a catering event, you’re expected to look for a table plan. It would be best if you found a setup that best suits your needs. This is particularly true if you’re hosting a formal event. A formal event requires an additional dance floor, stage, or food station space.
One standard layout is a boardroom style, which features several rectangular tables in a row with a central aisle. The layout is often used for corporate events but is appropriate for smaller, more intimate meals.
Another type of configuration is the U-shaped arrangement. This arrangement adds 3 seats to the head table and can be set up with a serpentine table. It’s also a useful option if you have limited space.
Tableware
The catering industry is under a lot of pressure to keep up with the latest trends in food presentation. Not only is food presentation important, but the overall look of the meal is also critical. Tableware is one way to improve the presentation of the meals.
One of the best ways to create a memorable first impression is by using tableware that stands out. These types of dinnerware are available in different colors, designs, and finishes. You can even find eco-friendly options. They are made from bamboo, palm leaf, and sugarcane.
Using the right colors and textures for your dish is an excellent way to add visual interest and stimulate your customers. For example, black and white dishes help bring out the savory flavors of food.
Get Feedback After You’ve Thanked Them For Attending
If you’ve attended any catering or similar events in the past, you’ve gotten several business cards. Assuming you didn’t lose them all, you must keep them in the loop. One way to do that is to send a thank you email. While this sounds old-fashioned, a well-crafted thank-you email is a great way to thank your attendees for attending your event. Sending an on-demand link would allow your guests to relive the event, taking it one step further.
Thanks may be a given, but you should also consider the benefits of getting a little feedback. Not only will you get some invaluable input on what worked and what didn’t, but you’ll also gain valuable insight into your future events.