Catering business is a big business today and you can find so many caterers in the market. Selection of good caterers is a challenging task because if the things are not managed properly then everything can be a mess.

Wedding catering has to be excellent because most of the people remember a wedding for the good or bad food served to them. You should see the menu offered by the wedding catering services that you are planning to choose. Wedding catering needs lot of flexibility in additions and subtractions of items in the menu they serve. When you hunt for caters for wedding catering then you should not forget to see their experience in serving and providing services for wedding catering.

Event catering needs to be far more innovative and experimental because the menu and style in event catering is different depending on the event. When you hire someone for event catering then you should see how many events they have catered. If they have a website then you can read customer feedback for the event catering that they have handled.  You can choose event catering for birthday parties, promotion parties, picnics, outdoor them parties etc. You realize that all these events need different type of event catering and the catering services you hire must also realize this.

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When it comes to corporate catering then you look not only for good food but also for good arrangement to suit the mood of the occasion. Corporate catering needs very professional way of handling the event and the catering requirement. Good food and pleasant and professional atmosphere are very important for corporate catering. Corporate catering is a very specialized segment and not everyone can be trusted for this.

There are some important factors that you must consider while hiring catering services. The first thing that must be considered is the experience of the catering services in the catering business. Long years of experience in the catering business are a kind of proof that the catering services you are choosing have sustained the competition of the market and have learnt the trends o survive and stay ahead.

You need to see your budget and the kind of food you would wish to be served. Each catering service has its own specialty in terms of menu and they can experiment with that and provide excellent food. If you wish to get wait-staff then you may have to pay additional charges and some catering services may include these services in their charge. It is better to find all the inclusions in the charges that you pay. To sustain the tough competition in the catering business many catering services provide decorations for the occasions they are catering for. This also can be paid or inclusive. It is fact that if catering service that you choose provides a comprehensive package including staff, decoration, and crockery and above all, good food then you may not mind paying a little extra. There are enough players in the catering business and that gives you a lot of choice.

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Catering for Multi-Day Events

When organising multi-day events, it can mean working with different suppliers to ensure everything runs smoothly.  This may mean months of planning in advance; searching for the right team of support to ensure your function runs on time, and everyone is happy.

If you are a promotions manager, you will have the training and expertise and time to coordinate a team of staff.  Maybe you are organising a family holiday or special event that does require personal time to pull everything together.  This can be time consuming and sometimes take more of your time than you can really spare.

Speaking with catering companies, you may find that it can be cheaper to work with one catering company to provide all the meals required.  This will not only save you time during your event, and will allow you to communicate with one catering manager during the length of your event.

Catering can be tricky, how much food do I order?  Will there be enough or too much?  Am I catering for those with special dietary requirements?  What do I do with any remaining food?

Eliminate the guess work, and hire a catering company that has the equipment and skills required to plan, prepare and serve food for your breakfast, lunches and dinner services.  A professional caterer can work with you to ensure guests are well fed and are provided with a range of different food options for the duration of your function. 

Work with your supplier to discuss the venue, duration and guest numbers in advance.  This will allow plenty of time for your chef to provide an example menu for your multi-day event.  Planning in advance will give you the advantage to change meals are required, or modify the menu to suit your budget.

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Catering for Large Private Events

Large Private Events are a special occasion as they are a great chance for us to celebrate with a large number of family and friends.  These events can go for one night or a weekend to make the most of your time together.

Large functions require more planning than a normal function, typically the same preparation however on a larger more detailed scale.  More numbers means larger spaces, more of everything.

When starting to plan your function it is good to determine an approximate number of people in attendance, so you can hire a venue or marquee to accommodate everyone.  Venues can be hired to cover all aspects of your function or offer the possibility for you to setup and organise private catering.  Marquees are great if you have a large private property for privacy.

Speak with your local party hire company as they will be able to provide tables, chairs, glass ware and bulk amounts of equipment you will require.  This may range from lighting, generators to cold rooms.  When planning for large numbers a cold room is an excellent idea, as this will save numerous eskies and plenty of ice.  Drinks can be stored easily, along with any platters or cake for your function.

A mobile caterer is perfect for large private functions if you don’t wish to use an in-house caterer.  This may also save time and money as a professional caterer will take most of the planning, preparation and cleaning up as part of their responsibility.  When looking for a caterer for large events it is important to confirm they have experience, necessary equipment and skill to cater for your function.

Drinks are another important consideration when planning for large events.  The storage, setup and service will need to be well planned and executed to ensure a smooth and efficient service for the duration of your function.  A large space for storage of glassware, cold drinks and plenty of rubbish bins to ensure mess and rubbish is kept to a minimum.  A separate self service area for water and non-alcoholic punch and soft drinks is a great idea, and will keep the bar area solely for alcoholic drinks.  This will allow families and children to access drinks at any time during the function.

Planning ahead will ensure you have everything organised, and know that your suppliers will work effectively to your schedule of events.

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Catering for Large Corporate Functions

Large Corporate Functions are generally quite elaborate, even if they are relatively informal.  Due to the large numbers of corporate groups, organising a function can be quite structured.  There are a number of planning points to be considered when initial planning stages are being worked through.

Where will your function be held?

If your staff work at one location, and the function is at another, think about how staff will travel or be transported to the venue.  If the function is during staff hours, transport will generally be organised.  Buses are a great way to transport large groups of people, especially if there are more than 100.  Consider parking if you would like your staff to travel in their own transport.

When will you function be held?

Weekends are generally popular for private parties and weddings.  Staff functions are most common during the week or Friday afternoon before staff leave for the weekend.  If you are a large company and hold several functions a year for Melbourne Cup, Christmas etc then planning will become more organised.  If you are new to planning, consider which day will work best and if you plan for staff to continue work after your function.

How will you coordinate your function?

Coordinating your function will generally include a few suppliers that will need to know basic details including guest numbers, location, time schedules and any special requirements.  If you are organising a marquee, determining the location and when this will be setup is important.  Working with a catering company to provide food service is also important.  While many catering companies do cater for larger numbers, it is important to advise all information relevant when enquiring.  Catering at a venue can be relatively easy; however catering for larger groups in a park with limited facilities may not be suited for all caterers.  If you are planning a function in a park for several hundred guests, ensure your caterer has all the equipment, can travel to your location and has access to staff to serve and clear during and after service.  There are several catering companies that specialise in catering for larger groups with specialised equipment, they may charge a little more however there are generally more expenses when catering for larger numbers.

Working effectively with your suppliers…

When planning corporate functions RSVP dates can be quite last minute.  Many suppliers work with weddings and functions that are planned months if not over a year in advance.  Working with corporate functions operates very differently.  Understand the timelines your suppliers require to place any orders and organise staff.  Last minute drops in numbers may leave your suppliers with orders larger than they actually require.

Corporate Functions are great fun for staff and employers, as they give everyone a chance to enjoy themselves and others company without having to think about current jobs.   

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Catering for special dietary requirements

Catering for groups of people by a professional caterers is made to look easy.  Caterers work to your menu selection and time frame to ensure a smooth efficient service.  Guests are happy, and as a host you should be able to enjoy your time without too much effort required organising catering. 

In- house catering, restaurants and mobile caterers all provide catering services with the main aim to make guests happy with beautiful food.  When placing an order at a restaurant and you have any special requests the chef will know ahead of time before cooking your meal.  Working with caterers operates on the same system.

It can be frustrating as a caterer to provide beautiful food for you and your guests, only to find out that a handful of guests have limited food to eat.  When catering any function, a good policy for planning menus is simple and easy.  A selection of hot and cold options, dishes with and without meat, and several types of meat including red and white.  This really provides a diverse range of food options for guests covering most dietary requirements.

Buffets generally offer a range of foods including breads, salads, meats and vegetables.  Buffets are really great if you really don’t know if anyone will have dietary requirements.   Sometimes it can be very difficult to know without specifically asking.  Finger foods can be difficult to select a menu that will cover any special request at the last minute.     

Menus are planned in advance, so there is plenty of time for the chef to make orders, prepare and cook food to suit.  Given this, it is important to work with your caterer and advise them of any special requests you have for your catering.  With this information adjustments can be made in advance to the menu and ingredients used. 

Now more than ever people are becoming more informed on ingredients and food products.  Grains, Fruits and Vegetables, Dairy, Meats and Proteins, Fats, oils and sugars are the main five food groups.  While our body requires all food groups to remain healthy, some people need to be very careful with some of these food groups.  Increasingly more people are finding they have intolerance to wheat and gluten.  Avoiding wheat and gluten can quickly reduce the foods people are able to eat.  If you know of guests that can’t eat wheat it is important that you advise your chef.  As so many options include this ingredient, your chef can let you know options that will cater to this.

Vegetarians are another special dietary requirement that is important to consider when planning your menu.  It can be very easy to offer vegetarian options without having to change your menu to suit one or two people. 

Pork is another meat that many people simply don’t eat.  Pork and pork by products, can be in a large number of food groups from sausages to marshmallows, so when catering for a function where most guests live by this it is essential to let your caterers know.      

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