Have you ever heard the phrase "to eat well is to live well?" Well, we certainly have because we've adopted it as our philosophy, a guide to living, a lifestyle if you will. So naturally, menu selection for our events is a carefully considered process, one that requires plenty of client involvement to ensure we get it right. Read on to discover some tips from our resident event planner on how to pick a menu for your event!
1.) Occasion
You wouldn't serve Pigs in a Blanket at a sit down dinner and you wouldn't serve French food at a 5 year old's birthday party, but reverse the two and you're golden. Taking your guests needs into consideration is the most important aspect to putting together a menu. If it's unclear what your guests/client/you want, offer plenty of options to choose from. Having one dish of each type of meat and always one vegetarian option is your safest and best bet. The dishes you choose also depend on the style of the event. Passes or stationary hors d'oeuvres? Sit down dinner? How many courses? Look at your menu as a whole instead of piece by piece to create a masterpiece.
2.) Caterer
Where is your food coming from? This is another point to consider. Does your caterer have a speciality? Are you putting their skills to the best use for your event? Make sure you pick a caterer that fits your menu, don't fit your menu to your caterer. Spend time browsing through their offerings to get a feel for their style of culinary expertise. Don't be afraid to ask them for help! They've done this before so they know which dishes are most popular, which dishes pair nicely, and which dishes clash.
3.) Seasons/Themes
What's the theme of the event? Is that a theme the caterer is comfortable working with? For example, you don't want to hire a caterer who specializes in comfort foods to do an Asian inspired menu. What's in season? What season is it? Summer means fresh strawberry or tomato salads but Winter means something else entirely. How well do your foods pair up together given all these factors? What about the venue? If it's upscale, does your menu reflect that?
While food may seem like just a part of the whole, it's a very important part as it's probably the most talked about. Spend ample time selecting just the right dishes and your guests won't stop raving about how great your event was! Bon appétit!
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