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Hosting an event at your office or place of business can be an excellent way to promote your business, recognize your clients or reward your employees. One of the many elements that contribute to a successful corporate event is selecting the right menu.
There are several important elements that factor into food selection, including budget, formality and event timing.
The amount of money available to spend on food is, not surprisingly, the major determining factor when it comes to planning an event.
“Budget determines choices,” said Sharilyn Nodsle of Bainbridge Island’s Seasons of Thyme Catering. The first question most caterers will ask is, “what is the budget?” And while there’s no one formula for determining costs, caterers will usually have sample menus available for clients to review, to help clients determine what they can get for their money.
Sharon Snuffins, owner of Snuffins Catering in Gig Harbor, recommends that clients consider a range of factors when putting together a catering or food budget, including the number of people who will attend the event, whether the event will be a stand-up or sit-down event, the kind of mood the event should set and even the timeframe during which the event will take place.
“It sounds so basic,” she said. But it’s important, she continued, “so I know what food to suggest.”
Aside from having an impact on budget, the formality, mood and timing of the event also help determine the most appropriate food selections. Are you having a casual weekend retreat or a formal banquet? A get together at the office or a conference at an offsite location?
Snuffins noted that for many office functions, it’s important to select food that can be eaten easily, either by hand or with only a fork.
“We call it stand up food,” she said.
Choosing food that is easy to eat allows event guests to enjoy the food selections while mingling in a crowd. Avoiding foods that are messy or that are accompanied by sauces that may drip or run is advisable, as well.
“Unless [guests] are sitting down you don’t want anything that will drip,” Snuffins said.
People are frequently less relaxed at company events than at a party in someone’s home, said Nodsle, which means they tend to eat less. Choosing foods that are easy to eat allows people to maintain a professional image among their colleagues, clients and superiors.
“The easier it is to eat, the better,” she said.
The time of day the event will take place is another important factor when choosing food.
“If the event is over a normal meal time, you need to have a real meal,” said Snuffins. If that’s not in your budget, Snuffins suggests holding the event at a different time. But, she continued, people shouldn’t just assume that the only way to stretch a food budget is to limit a menu to a few appetizers.
“You can have nice things that don’t cost a lot of money,” she said. |
