The plated meal has become an expected fixture of the catered event, and while it has its virtues, there are other, unique options you might want to consider when catering your next event.
Everyone looks forward to the food at an event. Food setup ideas that set themselves apart from the usual fare can be a great way to make your event memorable for guests. If you’re considering branching out and trying something new, consider these five unique food setup ideas to wow the crowds.
1. Small Plates & Hors d’Oeuvres
Getting to sample a wide variety of foods at an event is always a great way to ensure your guests have a good time. While a set course menu locks guests into a certain meal, serving small plates and hors d’oeuvres gives people the opportunity to taste a wider variety of food.While you may think that small plates mean less food for your guests, a wide variety of options can fill them up and give them more variety than a traditional plated dinner.
There’s a lot of room for variety in terms of the hors d’oeuvres you serve as well. While traditional can be good, the trend towards fun, tasty, comfort foods at events can be a great way of making your small plates and hors d’oeuvres more exciting.
2. Chef Stations
An interactive element to the event can be a great way of infusing fun into an evening. Chef stations are a great way to have your guests get excited about the food they’re eating.
Chef stations are positioned throughout the venue, where food is prepared live in front of guests. This provides an element of entertainment and it also gives your guests an opportunity to have more say in the way their food is prepared. Stationsare a great way to make sure that all your guests are covered in terms of having a satisfying meal.
3. Dessert Buffet
The dessert is usually one of the most anticipated parts of an event; everyone loves a good dessert. The trend towards more unique dessert options, from donuts to macarons, gives you a wonderful opportunity to go all out in satisfying the sweet tooth.
Like the variety inherent in hors d’oeuvres, a dessert buffet has something for everyone. Again, get creative! Cake is a great option, but it’s also expected; how about milk and cookies or cotton candy? The key is to offer a good variety so that all the bases are covered.
4. DIY Stations
Building on the idea of offering chef stations, this idea goes one step further. The trend towards interactive food experiences is increasing all the time, and as a means of getting your guests excited about every aspect of the event, it couldn’t be more perfect.
DIY stations work best with fun foods, like a station where guests can make their own mini pizzas, or a smores making station. The point is for guests to have fun, so foods that will require too much work or skill are not overly desirable. It should be an easy and engaging activity to keep people occupied.
5. Food Truck
This one might seem kind of out there, but bear with us. Like the other food setup ideas on our list, this one is all about injecting fun into the event. Food trucks provide a sort of novelty feel to the evening; they’re unexpected but fun and exciting. The food-truck trend has really taken off in the last little while, and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
More and more, food trucks have become associated with innovative and exciting cooking. Having a food truck at your wedding doesn’t mean you need to serve poor-quality food. Look into food trucks that serve amazing foods your guests will love.
