Category: Catering For Businesses

Corporate catering isn’t an easy task. There are lots of different things to think about – the people who are going, the requirements of the event, the different dietary requirements… if you are asked to cater for a corporate event, here are some of the things you should think about:

• Times of catering. People will want food on a regular basis throughout a conference or corporate event. Think about things like coffee, pastries and snacks, as well as meals.
• Food should be simple, but high quality. It’s often one of the things people talk about during and after a corporate event. Make sure you cook something that will impress.
• Consult with the person running the event. They should have their input so that you know what they expect and what they want to achieve with their catering.
• See if you can prepare food on site. This will mean it is fresh and warm.

The corporate sector can mean big business for caterers. It’s an environment where lots of people have numerous requirements for food, both on a day-to-day basis as well as for particular events. Here are some of our top tips for making sure you can cater for businesses effectively:

• Have lots of choice. As a catering professional, you’re probably completely used to catering for events and ensuring there are options for all requirements. This is particularly important for corporations who have clients to impress and staff to keep happy. Cater for all dietary requirements and make it clear that you have different options available.
• Consider your branding and advertising. Businesses will be more likely to take notice of a company that has a strong brand image.
• Be professional. Corporations take professionalism seriously. They want to know that you will be able to work with them in a professional capacity. Be self-assured, confident and knowledgeable to make a good impression.
• Have a catering portfolio. This is something that you can show to bigger clients to demonstrate how capable you are. It will help you to get more catering work by showing what you’re able to do.
• Listen. Ascertain what the client wants and demonstrate that you’ll be able to provide it. They will appreciate you being adaptable and receptive to their ideas.

If you’re holding a conference, it’s usually a good idea to have a detailed catering schedule in place prior to the event. Conferences are important in portraying yourself and/ or your business in a positive light, so it’s essential to create a good first impression and to make sure that this impressions lasts.

Make sure that you have catering on offer for when people arrive. This doesn’t have to be complicated – a cup of tea or coffee, juice, water and biscuits will suffice. Just make sure that it’s done well. For example, use good coffee, make sure the biscuits aren’t broken and serve water cold and in jugs. The catering on arrival will break the ice and act as a conversation starter – you don’t want the conversation to be about how cheap the instant coffee tastes!

Have refreshments available throughout the day. People will be in the best mood if they’re not hungry or thirsty. Again, this doesn’t have to be flamboyant or difficult – just make sure that the there are drinks and snacks so that people can help themselves. You may want to bring in some mid-morning cakes or pastries when you have a break.

For lunch, make sure that there is plenty of food for everybody. Over-cater if needs be, as it’s better than people going hungry. Traditional buffet food where people can help themselves usually works well. You don’t want to feed your guests enormous stodgy meals which will make them tired for afternoon meetings. You also don’t want to serve anything too messy – the last thing people want is to be dropping their lunch all over their expensive suits. Simple yet well-thought-out finger food will work extremely well.

The catering topics I have written about in the past have all assumed you were hosting an event and required something, or someone, to come and cater to some very specific requirements. But what about if you are opening your own establishment? Do you need to consider how food will be provided for your guests? What about where they’ll eat? Or what kinds of food your guests should be eating, and at what kind of events.

Are you offering a buffet? If so you’ll need appropriate delivery methods; large troughs, plenty of plates and even more cutlery. What about if you’re planning a fancy restaurant? In that case your menu will need to reflect that; you’ll need chefs, waiters and a higher class of food. Certainly in that case you’ll be looking to attract a higher class of person as well. There are so many things to consider when dealing with your own catering and not just ordering it in.

Catering is one fo those topics. Whether you’ve read countless articles, researched companies, researched locations and various types of events necessary for catering, you have to experience it to understand it.

There are different forms of catering; buffets, hog roasts and party foods, and the trick to mastering them all is practice! Only then do people discover what’s really involved in catering.

Timing, presentation and love are three important aspects, and if you can put in the time to develop your skills and improve speed, then you’ll succeed. Presentation skills are hugely important, and if your food doesn’t look nice it won’t get tasted, but of course, you can’t have pretty food that taste’s bland. It’s all about finding the balance, and the more practice you get in the more you’ll understand.

There are a lot of reasons why a business might decide to pay for a food delivery service; it can be used as a way to show hospitality to guests, and it can also be used as a perk of employment.

As a perk, getting your food delivered can be highly beneficial for businesses. It means that your staff have ready access to high quality food which they are unlikely to find at a nearby shop, and they will probably appreciate it as well, which will help moral.

If you regularly have associates visiting your business, then having a catering service can be a great way to show excellent hospitality to your guests if they’re going to be there for a while. It isn’t a commonly used service either, so you also get the chance to introduce them to a new and exciting way of doing things.