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Gino Spano

 Tags: Catering Trends

It’s that time of year again. Now that fall is here, it’s time to start thinking about the end of the year—and your upcoming corporate holiday party.

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There are so many elements that need to be considered when you’re planning a corporate event, especially a holiday party where fun is a top priority. Your holiday party is a chance to show your employees your appreciation for their dedication and hard work throughout the year. You’ll want to carefully consider the venue, the theme, and the menu.

The food is an important piece of your corporate holiday party, so you’ll want to thoughtfully contemplate what to serve to your guests. You’ll also want to consider any dietary needs your guests may have. Use these helpful tips to create a menu everyone can enjoy.


1. Book the Right Caterer for Your Corporate Holiday Party

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you book the right caterer for your holiday party. The right caterer will be able to help you craft the menu you need to impress your guests.

They’ll also be ready to help you accommodate any dietary needs your employees may have. The right caterer will be able to make suggestions and work with you. They may even be able to help you with other aspects of your corporate event planning.


2. Create a Guest List

The next step is creating your guest list. If you know how many people to expect, you can be sure to book the right venue and to order enough food for the event.

Having a guest list will also allow you to take a look at dietary restrictions and needs. You may already know about the dietary needs of some of the employees who plan to attend but you don’t want to leave out anyone.

Be sure to ask guests to indicate if they have dietary restrictions on their RSVPs. You’ll need to know before a particular date, so you have time to adapt the menu, but this is a great way to discover what you’ll need to serve.


3. Prepare Multiple Options Anyway

You may want to be proactive when creating the menu for your corporate holiday party. In this day and age, it’s safe to assume you should be offering at least a vegetarian option for your guests.

Offering gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options isn’t difficult either. In fact, incorporating them into your menu as a matter of course means all of your guests will have more selection at the party. Other restrictions, such as various food allergies, can also be accommodated.


4. Communicate with the Caterer

As you continue to plan for your holiday party, be sure to communicate dietary needs and restrictions to the caterer. You’ll want to have a final deadline for when to get information about dietary restrictions to them.

Of course, going ahead and creating a menu to accommodate common restrictions is a great idea. If you know your staff well, you might also consider going ahead and preparing the menu ahead of time. For example, if you know you have many employees who follow a particular diet for religious reasons, you can craft a menu to accommodate them from the start.

Do set deadlines for when to get information to the caterer and for when to make decisions about the menu. By considering dietary restrictions right from the start, you can make it easier to adjust the menu and ensure you can accommodate everyone.

If you want your corporate holiday party to be a success, just use these tips to help create an inclusive menu and prepare for a great corporate holiday party.


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Gino Spano

Starting with roots in a kitchen at 14 years old, he worked his way up the ranks and by the young age of 17 was responsible for daily events of 50 to 600 people. Gino continued to use his talents to work in catering, banquet and restaurant kitchens across the GTA. His love for Italian, French and Asian cuisine paired with his wide variety of knowledge brought him success in his new venture at Seventh Heaven in 2001. Over the past 12 years, he has cooked many meals for social events, corporate events and government officials. His love for new challenges brought him into corporate sales where he and the Seventh Heaven team won Best Catered Event for Canadian Linen’s “The Great White North” – Facility Grand Opening in 2009.
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