Feeding hearts and minds

Food, glorious food – people just love the stuff. Organisers of even the most modest community events know the importance of luring their target audience through the door with the promise of nice things to eat.

The rather dull meeting that delivers a sumptuous lunch-time buffet suddenly becomes a lot more interesting. A reluctantly attended team-building exercise takes on a refreshing feel-good dimension when a decent cuppa appears with some mouth-watering cakes mid-morning.

So, really, it’s no surprise that catering for an event is so crucial – and often a big chunk of your budget. Hence, when choosing your caterer, it’s important to take the time and thought to get it right.

First impressions

When sounding out different caterers, you want someone who responds promptly to your phone calls or emails – as that gives some indication how good their customer service will be. They also need to be genuinely interested in your event, what you are trying to achieve and your specific needs.

Experience

Check what experience they have, if they specialise in a particular area – black-tie dinners, corporate events or open-air barbecues – and if that fits with the type of event you are planning. It’s also worth asking about the training and experience level of their chef, kitchen and serving staff.

Capacity

Your chosen catering company clearly needs to have availability on the date and time of your event. But it’s sensible to inquire if they have other significant commitments, such as a large-scale gala evening, at the same time which might impact on their ability to be flexible if, for example, you end up attracting a larger audience than initially expected.

Adaptability

When discussing menu options, you are looking for flexibility and openness to your needs, budget and ideas. They should be happy to discuss different dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free choices. You also want to know when they need a final figure on head-count and how they will cope if a few extra guests turn up at the last gasp.

Dig deeper

Ask if the food is freshly prepared on-site or brought in to the venue – in which case, you may want to see their own kitchen to ensure the food preparation will be up to your standards. Check where they source their ingredients – for example, if they use local food suppliers and seasonal, organic produce.

Venue

Familiarity with your chosen venue is a definite plus point. If they know about the access, kitchen facilities, room lay-out and any individual quirks or restrictions, it’s another less thing for you to worry about.

Sample

The only way to truly judge the quality of their food is to taste it. You want to know your menu is up scratch so, before placing your order, ask for a tasting of the various dishes to check their quality and presentation.

Detail

Get a detailed breakdown of what services your caterer will provide, and the pricing. This includes the food, drink and staffing ratio – plus, if not provided by the venue, furniture and tableware.

References

Online reviews may often be the first port of call but, as well as asking for and checking references, take the time to get in touch with some of the caterer’s past clients and have a frank conversation about their experiences.

Contingency plan

Make sure they have public liability insurance and discuss how a cancellation, on either side, would be handled. If they have to pull out at short notice, will they recommend or help you find an alternative catering firm? Check the cancellation procedures and penalties, to ensure you always have a Plan B.