Throwing a big event and want to make a splash? The food and drinks you serve are obviously a big part of it, but the people making that food and serving those drinks can be just as important.
Here’s what you need to consider when hosting a catering event:
Understanding Service Flow Times
Service flow is the time it takes to process every customer interaction, from preparing and cooking the food to bussing the tables and washing dishes. Every stage should be optimized, and that’s true whether you’re running a sit-down service in a restaurant or hosting an event with a buffet.
A fast service flow keeps guests happy and tables cleared, and that has a direct impact on your profits and their satisfaction.
Keep these tips in mind to improve your service flow:
The 3-Minute Check
After serving guests their food, you should check back after a few minutes to make sure everything is okay. Do they have the drinks and condiments that they need? Is the food satisfactory? It’s not just about meeting their dining needs; it also shows that you’re being attentive and considerate.
Give Employees Specific Roles
One employee shouldn’t be asked to perform various roles. They’ll be flustered. They’ll lose track. To a guest, they’ll probably look like they’re scrambling around without clear direction.
You have your cooks, servers, and bussers. Everyone has a task to perform, and if you know your employees, that task will match their skill set.
Prepare Everything
Prepare all ingredients in advance. If there are dishes that can be partially or wholly cooked in advance without sacrificing quality, get them ready. Run kitchen and service drills to make sure you set realistic goals and can make all of the dishes on time.
Matching Staff Skills to Menu Complexity
Impress your guests, but don’t exceed your capabilities. That’s the key to hosting any event. So, if you’re planning a fine dining tasting menu complete with seven courses and drinks, hire chefs and kitchen staff that can consistently produce excellent food, as well as sommeliers or servers proficient in serving drinks, pouring wine, making cocktails, and educating guests on flavor notes and origin.
If all of those things are beyond your team’s current skill level, opt for something similar or hire some on-demand workers capable of producing quality food.
Special Event Menu Planning
A special event needs a special menu. It goes without saying. So, how do you engineer the perfect event menu to leave your guests satiated and satisfied?
Understand Your Guests
One of the biggest mistakes that event organizers make is to assume that it’s all about them. They focus menus on a particular cuisine because that’s the chef’s specialty or they create a theme based around a public holiday. It could even be that they just want to create some Instagrammable meals, so they make dishes designed to impress visually.
It should be about your guests. Focus on their tastes and their needs. Create dishes that they will like, whether that means keeping it simple for children and older diners or doing something unique for a more adventurous clientele.
Create Appropriate Portion Sizes
The portion sizes need to match the format of the event. Think about the number of courses you’re serving, whether there is any food served before or after the meal, and if there will be any activities—you don’t want to overstuff your guests if they are expected to dance or party all night.
Smaller portions wills have some money off your budget and prevent lots of food waste at the end of the night, but you have to get the balance right to avoid guests leaving hungry.
Offer a Variety of Dishes
A menu shouldn’t be more than a page or two, but variety is still important. Include dishes to cater to every taste and every dietary requirement. Alternatively, provide something simple and let the guests adapt it by adding extra foods served from a buffet or ordering various side dishes.
Jazz it Up
You can be different, unique, and memorable without overworking your employees. A dessert station isa good way to impress guests, and as everything can be prepared beforehand, it cuts down on staff responsibilities. Candy and cupcake stations are also sure to catch the eye, and if you really want to make an impression, offer tableside service—cutting steaks, flambéing crepes, melting cheese, etc.
Go Beyond with Beverages
Beverages are just as important as the food and should go beyond a simple alcoholic and non-alcoholic option. Add cocktails and mocktails, including various different soda options, and add some healthy options such as juices and smoothies.
Managing Dietary Restriction Requests
A restaurant can afford to offer a limited menu—if a customer can’t find something suitable, they’ll just go elsewhere. You don’t have the same luxury when catering for an event and must serve every guest.
Speak with the guests or organizers to account for all dietary requests, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, and nut allergies. But don’t limit your dishes just tothose guests. If a guest thinks that the vegan option looks more appealing, they should be able to request it.
Kitchen vs. Service Staff Ratios
A properly staffed kitchen will keep the service smooth and prepare you for any eventuality, including fussy guests and last-minute menu changes. A good rule of thumb is to have 1 server for every 3 or 4 tables of 8 guests or 1 server for every 25 guests at a buffet. You will also need 1 busser for every 25 guests or so.
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