For an employee organising the catering for a corporate event on behalf of the company, the pressure is on to impress not only the important and potentially valuable guests, but also their own management and those above them in the business.
Ensuring an event is well planned and gives the correct impression can be an enjoyable experience but is undoubtedly stressful and even nerve racking for those given the responsibility.
What's important to realise before making any arrangements is that organising catering for an event goes way beyond simply deciding how many vegetarian meals to order. Those who take this on board are those whose events are noticed.
Before the type of food is even chosen, the purpose of the event needs to be considered carefully. Would it be preferable to have everybody sat down with fine wines and delicious gourmet dishes or could you have everybody standing enjoying bowl food whilst talking amongst themselves? Which catering format would be the most advantageous from a business point of view?
These specific questions are further complicated when we take into account cultural norms and standards. Perhaps it would be offensive to serve alcohol to guests from certain countries or regions or it simply may not be acceptable to some to serve food in a more informal environment.
The time when people are eating is perfect for networking and building relationships which may have the potential to flourish into mutually beneficial business relationships. It goes without saying that getting this part of an event right can be the difference between long term business success and strange looks from visitors or even worse, silence and a wasted opportunity to get to know people from other companies.
Fortunately, there are specialist catering companies that have the experience to offer the best advice in these matters. It goes without saying that hiring a caterer with years of experience delivering their service to a range of clients is important if you want to be sure you're receiving the right advice.
How catering integrates with the other aspects of the event is also very important. Essential knowledge includes knowing when refreshments will be required and how much time is available to serve main meals. These factors all play a part when making decisions.
Again, a reputable catering company will be available to advise on all these matters and highlight potential issues that somebody without years of experience not have foreseen.
Ensuring an event is well planned and gives the correct impression can be an enjoyable experience but is undoubtedly stressful and even nerve racking for those given the responsibility.
What's important to realise before making any arrangements is that organising catering for an event goes way beyond simply deciding how many vegetarian meals to order. Those who take this on board are those whose events are noticed.
Before the type of food is even chosen, the purpose of the event needs to be considered carefully. Would it be preferable to have everybody sat down with fine wines and delicious gourmet dishes or could you have everybody standing enjoying bowl food whilst talking amongst themselves? Which catering format would be the most advantageous from a business point of view?
These specific questions are further complicated when we take into account cultural norms and standards. Perhaps it would be offensive to serve alcohol to guests from certain countries or regions or it simply may not be acceptable to some to serve food in a more informal environment.
The time when people are eating is perfect for networking and building relationships which may have the potential to flourish into mutually beneficial business relationships. It goes without saying that getting this part of an event right can be the difference between long term business success and strange looks from visitors or even worse, silence and a wasted opportunity to get to know people from other companies.
Fortunately, there are specialist catering companies that have the experience to offer the best advice in these matters. It goes without saying that hiring a caterer with years of experience delivering their service to a range of clients is important if you want to be sure you're receiving the right advice.
How catering integrates with the other aspects of the event is also very important. Essential knowledge includes knowing when refreshments will be required and how much time is available to serve main meals. These factors all play a part when making decisions.
Again, a reputable catering company will be available to advise on all these matters and highlight potential issues that somebody without years of experience not have foreseen.
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