There are lots of ways to make your corporate holiday party a fun event for all your guests; many of them involve seasonally fun games or entertainment, but one often neglected area that many forget to consider is unique catering ideas.
Dinner doesn’t have to be as simple as some passed-around appetizers or a meal on a plate, and there are plenty of ways to use the food at your big event and turn it into an attention-grabbing food experience for your guests.
Take things to the next level this holiday season with these five attention-grabbing catering ideas for corporate holiday parties.
1. Champagne Fountain
Nothing screams “no expenses spared” quite like a champagne fountain! How’s this for an opulent catering idea: picture your guests walking through the doors of your event only to be met by a bubbling, flowing fountain of champagne.
Champagne is a popular drink of choice around the holidays but served as a normal drink, it just tends to blend in with all the other drinks your guests will be enjoying. Having a show-stopping centerpiece like this will certainly grab your guests’ attention from the very moment they walk through the doors.Pair with a small selection of berries or liqueurs to enhance the champagne and treat your guests.
2. Live Cooking
Most of your holiday party guests will be expecting to see food at your corporate holiday party, but what they might not expect is for that food to be prepared live in front of their own eyes! Part entertainment and part interaction, this option is a crowd pleaser.
Live cooking at events is becoming increasingly popular as one of the trendiest catering ideas because people are taking a greater interest in how their food is prepared. This takes the food experience to the next level and turns it into a spectacle that will dazzle and delight your party guests. This can also help with any of your guests who have dietary restrictions, like your vegetarian or gluten-free guests.
3. An Artful Cheese Display
Everybody loves cheese (unless of course you’re dairy-free) and even better, everybody loves a big fancy cheese spread when they attend an event or party. Use this as an opportunity to create some edible art at your holiday party.
Work with your caterer to come up with a plan for a show-stopping cheese centerpiece for your party.Think of rounds of cheese artfully displayed as a grand cake, decorated with grapes, figs, and edible flowers.Add height or use markers to denote the countries that the cheeses are from, or which wine pairs well with it. Add vibrant elements of colour with fruits, pickled vegetables, or antipasto. Whatever you choose, it’s likely that your guests won’t be able to keep their hands off it.
4. Themed Servers
Not all attention-grabbing catering ideas need to involve food directly. The way it’s served is just as important as what you’re serving. One way to do this is by using the servers to match the theme of your party.
Talk to your caterer and find out if you can dress the servers to match your event decor and theme. For a holiday party, this might mean something from Santa’s Workshop, or going with a Winter Wonderland-themed outfit. When your guests walk in the doors and see elves walking around the room, it’s guaranteed you’re going to grab their attention!Just another touch to bring your theme and vision together cohesively for your guests.
5. Holiday Cocktails
If you walk into an event and see everyone drinking the same standard beverages; beer, wine and mixed drinks, you’re probably not going to take much notice, but serve something out of the ordinary and suddenly everyone wants to know “What are you drinking?!”
Holiday cocktails can be a fun, attention-grabbing addition to any holiday party and are a great way to add some sparkle and colour to the crowd. When planning your corporate party, talk with your venueor caterer and come up with a menu of offerings geared towards your guests.Consider a themed signature drink or flair bartender. Themed drinks with edible garnish like peppermint sticks or candied mint can be just an extra touch that make your guests feel special and that gives your event that boost of sophistication.
