Top 6 Work Christmas Party Catering Tips
It's time to plan this year's work Christmas party. One of the most important points to cover early is catering. Being creative can be fun, but you'll want functionality and enjoyment to be your top priorities. Knowing a few tried and true catering tips can help you ensure your party goes off without a hitch. Here are six strategies to help you celebrate your team's accomplishments and reign in the new year in style.
Farm To Table
Festive, flavorful, and healthy, farm to table foods will delight your guests' taste buds while supporting local farmers. You'll have a wide selection of meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruits to work with, broadening your menu and helping ensure you have something every guest will enjoy. Going farm to table also ensures that your menu contains only the freshest and most nutritious foods - a perfect way to keep step with the holiday cheer. A secluded stable makes the perfect rustic setting.
Let Your Food Serve as the Decorations
Save money and setup time by having your hors d'oeuvres delight the eyes as well as the tongue. These bite-size snacks are colourful enough to steal the spotlight and set the mood for the rest of the meal. Hors d'oeuvres can range from cold meats to dips to sliders and everything in between. Farm to table cheeses, fruits, and vegetables can be served on large platters alongside flowers and decorative bowls and glasses. Have a mix of hot, warm, and cold dishes to please a variety of tastes and preferences. Potato salad, macaroni vegetable salad, wraps, and hummus are all winning ideas. You can also incorporate international cuisines such as Chinese dumplings, sushi, and English muffins to celebrate diversity.
Stick with Tradition
There's no shortage of creative, perhaps even outlandish catering ideas, but many of these can be hit or miss. Traditional decorations have survived the test of time, and there's no shame in keeping your decor simple and recognisable. White, red, green, and silver are the colours of choice, perhaps with some gold to tie it all together. A traditional Christmas tree, lights, ornaments, bows, ribbons, and holly are all you need. Keep it clean and functional - the last thing you want is for your guests to trip on a stray pine cone.
Go with a Buffet Style Setup
Serving a specialised meal for each guest makes for a daunting task. Instead, let your guests build their own plates on the spot. Like a buffet, you can set up stations for different categories of foods - seafood, pasta, vegetarian dishes, desserts, etc. Your guests can dictate their own portion sizes and recommend foods to one another. This setup also promotes interaction, taking the pressure off of you.
Bring Seafood into the Mix
While steak and chicken are perfectly fine, adding more seafood selections can liven up the party. Cocktail shrimp makes for a refreshing appetiser while crab, lobster, clams, and scallops add class to the main event. Match the menu with the venue and choose a building with a beautiful view of Sydney Harbour.
Diversify the Drinks
No party is complete without drinks, and the more variety, the better. Wine and liquor are traditional favourites, and champagne is a no-brainer (be sure to prepare your toast). Have cold lemonade, iced tea, and apple cider ready for the non-drinkers. Hot drinks like mulled wine, hot toddies, or even hot chocolate provide a warm welcome.