Why is choosing the right caterer so important? It’s no secret, everyone leaves an event talking about the food. For you, the event planner, this makes the caterer essential to the event’s success.
But, with dozens, sometimes hundreds of caterers in a single area, how do you go about choosing the right one?
During a tasting, take pictures. This helps to ensure that the caterer knows you expect the same quality and presentation at your event. Click To Tweet
Here are 5 steps to picking the perfect caterer for your event:
1) Get References
Always START HERE. In the event planning business knowing that others have used and trust someone is a critical component of planning. It takes the guesswork out of choosing the right caterer. Ask for references from the company itself and do a little sleuthing online. For any reputable caterer, you should be able to find reviews on the quality of food, service, and dependability to see how they compare to the others on your list.
2) Schedule Tastings
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s time to sample the goods. A tasting is the easiest way to find out about the quality of the food and to make decisions on the menu – for more menu tips click here. At a tasting you will sit down with the caterer and they will serve you the exact items that would be served to the guests at your event. This helps you to make a final decision on who is the best fit for the event you are producing.
3) Question Everything
There are some key questions you want to ask during a tasting: Are the portion sizes they are serving you the same as what will be served to your guests? Will the food’s plating and appearance be the same? Will the presentation by the staff be the same? You want to confirm that what you see at the tasting really is what you get.
4) Visit the Kitchen
Anytime you’re dealing with an off-premises caterer it’s important to visit and see where the food will be prepared. Most reputable and clean caterers are happy to show off their commissary and will often offer a tour of the prep and cooking areas. You’ll feel much more comfortable about choosing them if you know what the behind the scenes operation looks like.
5) Discuss Staffing
Never assume that the caterer has the right plan for staffing. Be sure and review this aspect and get everything in writing. You’ll want to know how many bartenders will be on hand, how many tables will be assigned to each server, how many staff will manage the buffet tables, how many will be clearing tables, etc. Keep in mind that one table per server is ideal but they shouldn’t be responsible for more than 2 tables at a time in order to ensure everything runs smoothly. Don’t wait to find out that there isn’t enough staff once the event has started. Make sure you get this info up-front.
Bonus tip: Take pictures at a tasting to make sure that what you’re presented there is the same at the event. This helps to ensure that the caterer knows you expect to see the same quality and presentation at your event.
Even if you are dealing with a hotel or venue that doesn’t allow off-premises catering and requires that you use their own services, these steps can help. Knowing the answers to these questions, tasting the food, and sharing your expectations ahead of time can save headaches in the long run.
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