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If you're organising a tailored event, you also want your menu to be tailored, too. Your menu should be just as impressive as your event. The more unique and creative your catering is, the more memorable it will be. Here are some tips for organising your tailored events catering in Sydney. 

1. Plan Your Catering Ahead

You should start planning your catering immediately after you start planning your event. Your catering is going to impact a lot of your event, from the venue you choose to the theme and the decor. Often, the best catering companies may be booked in advance — and it takes time to plan a great menu. Once you choose a catering company, they can help you with the menu itself. 

2. Take a Look at Your Options

Sometimes looking at other tailored menus can give you ideas. Laissez-faire has a number of custom menus available online that you can review. Take notes regarding the menu items that you really love, and forward these menu ideas to your caterer. It can help them develp a feeel for what you're looking for in your tailored event. 

3. Check on Dietary Restrictions

Before you dig too deep in your menu planning, check on the dietary restrictions of your guests. Adjusting your menu to your guests will ensure that they all have a pleasant time, and it isn't as difficult as it might seem. At Laissez-faire, we are skilled in developing menus that offer options for everyone, while still remaining simple and clean. 

4. Go Local

Local produce isn't just fresher, it's also more sustainable. Local shops usually have specific items available, especially when it comes to seasonal produce. Use your local availability as a way to guide your menu development. You can create different menu items based on what's available, with specific produce as the "star" of the meal.

5. Ask Your Caterer for Ideas

Your caterer will have input regarding your events. Laissez-faire has been in business for decades, and has experience in virtually every type of menu. While you aren't obligated to take the suggestions, they can form an excellent jumping off point. Let your caterer know what type of tailored event you're having, and give them a few examples of the type of food you'd like. 

6. Consider Your Theme 

Your theme can produce a lot of guidance regarding the type of food that you want available. What is your event for? Do you want your guests sitting down for a full meal, or grazing on appetizers? Is your event more traditional, or more contemporary? Tailoring your catering to your event is easy when you have a very specific type of event in mind. 

7. Don't Forget the Drinks

Seasonal and themed cocktails really round out any custom menu. Consider "mocktails" for corporate events, or different varieties of lemonade or punch. You can have tea, coffee, and other drinks available, to augment the meals on your menu. For some events, the drinks are actually just as important as the menu items themselves. 

8. Think About the Time of Day

A breakfast menu is going to be considerably different from a lunch menu. But, no one says you can't serve a breakfast menu and dinner, or vice versa. Think about how you want to play with the types of foods available. If you want to do something unconventional, you can consider having breakfast items during the lunch or dinner, or doing different "plays" on breakfast items.

9. Create Many Smaller Menu Items

Rather than focusing on a few large, heavy dishes, consider lighter menu items like canapes. Smaller menu items are where a lot of Sydney catering really shines, because it allows guests to try a lot of different things that they like. It also lets you get a little more creative, as you'll know that your guests will find at least a few things that they love. 

10. Don't Forget the Kids

If your tailored event is going to include kids, let your Sydney caterer know. Often, children have different dietary needs, and they can be served with smaller and simpler plates. Your catering Sydney company can help you develop a complementary menu to the adult's menu, and ensure that parents don't feel that their kids have been left out. 

Catering is one of the most important aspects of any event, because it's the thing that people look forward to and the thing that they talk about later. Figuring out your menu ahead of time is extremely important, but you don't need to figure out your menu alone. Planning tailored events catering in Sydney is our specialty. Contact us at (02) 9209 4810 or make an online enquiry.

The world of catering and food is constantly evolving and adapting in a variety of dramatic and exciting ways. 2019 brings with it some surprising new trends, which can be used to make your next event truly stand out. Here are a few of the trends that we've found most interesting, both in food itself and in the presentation of it. 

Use Unique and Inspired Plating Techniques

From sauces on painter's palettes to literal buckets of fresh treats, plating techniques are becoming whimsical and dramatic. Rather than using traditional plates and platters, you can think about the types of plating that would best match your cuisine.

If you're going for a luxe look, consider marble slabs. If you're trying to make your event reminiscent of a tropical getaway, serve appetizers in seashells. You can get truly creative about your presentation depending on the theme you're using for your event. With food, presentation is often just as important as the actual ingredients. 

Pair Savory Foods With Fresh, Bright Flavors

2019 is all about mixing comforting standards with bright pops of flavor, such as adding a zest of citrus to a creamy pasta, or pairing fresh fruits with dark, bitter chocolates. For added effect, seasonal produce and more exotic flavors can be used, differentiating foods season by season.

Farm-to-table remains exceptionally popular, which both continually refreshes menus while supporting the local community. If you want to explore new flavors for your next catering event, consider checking with your caterer regarding the items that are presently available in your area.

Create Complete Tablescapes  Rather Than Place Settings

  Rather than thinking of each meal or course as something individual, instead consider the entire service as a single entity. Creative tablescapes  bring together meals, especially when they're shared plates like charcuterie. You can dress up the entire table in an organic, themed design, to really make every element of the service pull together. 

When you create a complete tablescape  rather than individual place settings, you can create larger, more dramatic staging. Not only do you free yourself to be more creative, but you also create something that's an interactive, whole table experience for your guests.

Add Shared Dining to the Menu

Family-style, shared dining platters are intimate, exciting, and fun. And they don't have to be relegated to wine-and-cheese plates. Shared appetizers and even main courses van encourage people to interact with each other, especially at friendly, social events. Not only does this provide some entertainment for them, but they can discuss as well as enjoy the food.

Small plate, tapas experiences are perfect for shared dining. Everyone can enjoy a little bit of everything, rather than having to commit to a single meal. This also means they'll experience more of the delicious food options... and they're more likely to find something they like, if they have a picky palette.

Get  Into the Materials When Building Your Design

Wood, marble, slate, and other brilliant materials  can be used to make a meal really pop. Using different materials for utensils, platters, and plates is a great way to offset the design of your food and really elevate it to another level. Unique types of material are a topic of discussion, and can draw your guest's eye to the decor.

Apart from that, different materials really impart different experiences when it comes to food. Wooden serving boards are often paired with cheese, meats, and earthy flavors, letting everyone take their food from a communal platter. Meanwhile, cold marble is often used to accent desserts, ice creams, and other cold foods, as they keep the food chilled. 

Put  an Emphasis on the Sweet

Finally, every meal should have a sweet surprise at the end. Classic desserts are coming back, but with modern plating and techniques. The last course of the meal is absolutely going to be the thing that they remember most. And since not everyone likes sweets, some more savory desserts can be tested out.

Dessert platters and chocolate plates are becoming an interesting and often discussed replacement for wine and cheese plates. An assortment of chocolates gives everyone the option of choosing the type of chocolate they like most. Pair it with a lovely chocolate fondue and you'll have a menu that is as delicious and fulfilling as it is interactive.

At Laissez-faire Catering, we're not only at the forefront of these trends—we're creating new ones all the time.  Laissez-faire Catering, based in Alexandria Sydney, is right in the middle of it all: events, food, experiences. If you're looking for a caterer in Sydney dedicated to trying new things, bringing that WOW factor, and introducing your taste buds to something new, give us a call about your next event:  (02) 9209 4810.