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.