As an
event organizing agency which provides full service you may know all about
organizing events. By this point you should have a long list of industry
contacts. A good event organizer
will have a slew of bartenders, venues, DJs, event staff, design teams, talent
managers or anyone else that the clients may be looking for - all can be
arranged. But when the rubber meets the road, the biggest question to be
answered is food, the most important part of any event. This is when catering
services come into the picture. Let us face it, it is a huge part of
our culture, and it is something we would love to have a chat about long after
the event has been done; we like indulging in it. So, if a mistake is made in
picking the right catering service, the event is doomed.
The Job of a Caterer
Catering
services have the power of making or breaking a conference,
a business meeting, wedding reception, exhibition or any special event for that
matter. Many caterers also pitch in with a setup of audio-visual equipment,
event decoration, and some other important elements. They may be employees on
payrolls of the conference centre or independent contractors. No matter what
the case is, they are responsible for handling all logistics for food, décor,
beverage, and entertainment whether it is a formal sitting dinner or a cocktail
hour.
The Preliminary Work of Event Organizers
Most of the initial
work has already been completed before the event organizers meet with the
caterer. The organizer makes sure that he/she understands the nature of the
event being planned in every detail. Event organizers will make sure they
understand the purpose of the event and the guests, who will be coming to
witness the event. It may be a serious gathering or something being organized
for some celebration. It could be a meeting involving just business associates
or it could be a bring-your-kids kind of company bash. The guests may be
expecting cocktails to be served or it may be more of a coffee and affair. It
could be a dinner to be had sitting down or with finger foods being served. A most
important part of the equation is that the planner is aware of budget
constraints.
Deciding the Menu
The organizer sits down
with the catering manager of the banquet a long time before the event to agree
on the basics. A meeting involving business associates may need boxed lunches
while a charity gala with everyone wearing black ties would call for a menu
where food is served on a plate.
The organizer and the
catering service folks then sit down to decide what they are going to serve. An
event
organizer will need to account for the expectations the guests whilst
adhering to their budget. The organizer should talk very openly to the caterer
regarding any limitations in the budget. A good catering manager should be able
to help in creating an event which looks elegant but does not necessarily have
to be costly by using seasonal local produce, for example. These two need to
work as a team to make any event a success.
Comments
Post a Comment