Did you know that 61% of event organizers had to switch to virtual Events when Covid-19 was at its peak?
Hosting a physical event is as challenging as it gets; imagine going virtual with it? That said, with SOPs in place and the world going back to normal, the challenges of catering an event have gained their regular place.
If you are planning an event or hosting one, then you understand how confusing making the “right” arrangements can be. The trick is to work with professionals such as Planned to Perfection Events Planning & Catering.
More the experience of the event planner, the better the event! You see, event planning is no less than a science. You have to balance expenses, tastes, and capacity like a pro. Without the right resources, you can easily go overboard and end up overspending, overdecorating, or over-inviting.
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The Best Tips and Tricks For Catering in an Event
Nevertheless, if you are planning an event and looking to manage catering, we have compiled a list of 6 tricks that can help you.
Prepare Ahead
Mise en Place is a common practice in commercial kitchens. This French term means to gather or put in place. This is a practice done to prepare ingredients before cooking. This usually includes toasting and grinding spice mixes, par-cooking produce, and preparing relishes.
To break it down further, this term means to set up an array of ingredients and mentally prepare yourself to use the ingredients in specific recipes. For a caterer, this is probably the most useful practice in the kitchen.
The goal for anyone catering at an event is to keep the food flowing while managing time and inventory and keeping in line with regulations. Preparation is what makes this possible amid the chaos of a live event.
Here’s how you can go about the preparation:
- Prepare components that have to be served cold first
- Do not start with high-risk components such as caviar or meat
- Get the chopping out of the way
- Decide the tableware, size, and cutlery at least a night before
- Manage the space in the fridge
That said, the preparation must be according to the size of the event and the number of people you will be catering to.
Menu Decisions and Ambiance
Menus are tricky business, especially for someone hosting an event. You have to go over the list of attendees and then design a menu that works for them. For family events, you must consider what the children like the choices vegans can have and what the meat lovers will enjoy.
Bear in mind your menu must reflect the theme and time of the event. You cannot serve steak dinners during high-tea hours. Finger foods are the correct choice for the time between dinner and lunch.
Therefore, planning your menu around the time you will be hosting the event is necessary. The ambiance and decor must also align with the theme. You cannot host an evening event without some fairy lights and lamps illuminating the venue.
Candles also work for breakfast and luncheons. You can opt for live candles or choose the LED kind for safety reasons. Either way, your decor and the food you serve must reflect the time, ambiance, and theme of the event.
Don’t Compromise On Hygiene
As a catering service Sydney or a home chef, the one thing you cannot compromise on is hygiene. There are literal regulations that govern how you prepare and serve the food. The environment you prepare in is also monitored closely.
Therefore, build a hygienic workstation that ensures there is no cross contamination throughout the cooking and serving process. Here are a few tips you can incorporate to ensure hygiene standards are maintained.
- Chopping boards can be color coded to prevent cross-contamination. For instance, use red boards for raw meat, green for vegetables and yellow for baked goods, and so on.
- Organize the fridge based on the FIFO system. Make sure meats are not stored under 4 degrees. You can add the best before dates on labels to ensure all kitchen staff is aware of the use by timeline.
- Cleanliness is essential. Make sure to clean as you go or designate one of the staff members to ensure there is no mess in the kitchen. Also, inspect the place and make sure everything is up to code before you start using it as a kitchen for an event.
- Allergen information is also something you must consider. Make sure you don’t put any of the attendees in harm’s way with the wrong ingredients. Common allergens such as shellfish or peanuts and all their by-products must be used after considering those attending the event.
Don’t Bite Off More Than you can Chew
Like all other industries, the world of catering also caters to niches. There are hosts who want to go for a live event and prefer a live kitchen. If you do not specialize in such events, don’t take the challenge on.
Of course, you can choose to prepare for such events in advance if you are willing to take on the responsibility. Bear in mind that everything is completely different for live kitchens. From the preparation to the serving technique, everything must be organized down to the last sliver of dill you will garnish the food with.
Your Equipment Matters
All the planning and preparation in the world cannot get you the results you want if the equipment you are using in the kitchen isn’t up to par. Your knives must be sharp, iron skillets ready, and chopping boards non-slippery.
If you are preparing the pasta by hand, then the pasta machine must work efficiently to shell out ginormous amounts. It all comes down to what you do before the event rather than how to handle the actual service.
What Else can you Do to Make the Event a Success?
The most effective decision you can take is to hire professionals. Experts such as Planned to Perfection Events Planning & Catering can make the process a breeze with their experience and understanding of the catering world.