Planning a corporate event can be difficult, and planning the menu can be even more challenging. Make it a breeze with these 6 attention-grabbing catering ideas; your next event is sure to have guests talking for days!
1. Live Chef Stations
What could possibly be more attention grabbing than watching a professional chef cooking your food right in front of you? Live chef stations not only ensure that food is hot and fresh when it’s served up, they add an aura of spectacle for your guests. They can also add or remove items from a dish for your guests with dietary restrictions.
Live chef stations are an excellent catering idea for a corporate event, because they combine entertainment with great food. They also ensure you won’t run out of food; the chefs will cook up more so hungry guests don’t go without.
2. Quirky Foods
Corporate event menus are sometimes predictable, so why not go out on a limb to impress your guests? Work closely with your caterer and be sure to keep any special dietary needs in mind as you develop a quirky menu for your next corporate event.
Why is this a great catering idea? It keeps things fresh and gives your guests something to talk about—at the party, two days later, and even into next week! If you surprise them with something unexpected, yet delicious, they’re going to fondly remember your event.
3. Themed Foods
You’ve probably heard mixed reviews of using a theme for a corporate event, but many maintain it’s a good idea. It’s a great idea when it comes to your menu. Not only does it help tie your event together, it can give your menu some direction.
While your caterer is no doubt expert at what they do, a theme can give them a base to work with, ensuring all the flavours they incorporate work seamlessly together.
4. Signature Cocktails
Would you like to keep the buzz going about your event, even after last call? Add a signature cocktail to the mix. Yes, the tried-and-true entries, like the Tom Collins or the G&T, might be sure to please the crowd, but a signature cocktail is fun and exciting.
It can also help team members connect with each other or build your brand. Depending on who’s on the guest-list, the signature cocktail is a great opportunity for a business to send a memorable message. Better yet? Professional bartenders will pour with flair, creating another opportunity to wow your guests.
5. Food as Art
One thing that often gets left out of planning for corporate event menus is presentation. With food, presentation is often just as important as flavour. Something might taste delicious, but if it doesn’t look appetizing, most people won’t venture the first taste to find out just how great it is.
In the age of Instagram, there’s another consideration: You want the food to be appetizing, but you also want it to be Insta-worthy. You want your guests to snap pictures and post them, advertising to all their followers about the fantastic event they’re attending. The more artful your presentation, the more likely your guests are to brag about the event. You can combine this idea with some of the other catering ideas on this list to create a truly impressive spread for your guests.
6. Dessert Buffet
Who doesn’t like dessert? Almost everyone has a sweet tooth, and desserts are always crowd-pleasers. But what kind of dessert should you offer? If you offer up sweet pastries, you might miss the opportunity to wow your guests that prefer a different type of sweet dessert.
One of the best catering ideas for a corporate event is a dessert buffet precisely because it allows your guests to select their own sweet (or sample a few different flavours). With something for everyone, a dessert buffet will please everyone’s sweet tooth while the layout will offer a feast for the eyes.
