Whenever people attend a big special event like a wedding or private party, the thing they are usually most excited for is the food. Food plays an important role in many people’s lives, as well as in their special events. While sometimes standard catering fare will suffice, other occasions call for something a little more unique.
If you’re looking for some great catering ideas for your next big event that are hot, fresh, and oh-so-trendy right now, you have to check out the five hot catering ideas this year.
1. Asian Inspiration
You can call it fusion cuisine if you wish, but a great catering idea for your next menu is to draw on the exciting flavours of Asia.
Ingredients like yuzu, shiso, bonito, lemongrass, and fish sauce were perhaps once too exotic for mainstream catering venues but these days, people love to eat ethnic food and experience bold new flavours. You can give them this exciting opportunity at your next big event by adding some influential flavours to familiar dishes, or going all out with an authentic Asian menu.
2. Locally Sourced and Foraged
It’s one of the biggest trends in the food world right now. Locally sourced and foraged ingredients can be found everywhere from upscale restaurant menus to farmers markets, so it’s only natural that this trend is also being reflected in the catering world.
The local food movement is all about appreciating what we have in our own backyards and what better way to highlight that than at your next big event? It’s also a great way for local artisanal producers to showcase their products and gain more of a customer following.
3. Adventurous Seafood
Crab legs and shrimp cocktails are great but if you want to take seafood to another level at your next catering function, think outside the box and explore the ocean.
Oysters have become much more mainstream but can still provide a hint of luxury to any catering menu. Try them as oyster shooters with exciting flavours like meyer lemon and pickled radish. Octopus has come back to popularity and is also having a moment right now, so the popularity will likely persuade your guest to give it a try if they were previously hesitant. Cockles can also be used to make a delicious chowder in the place of the always-familiar clams.
4. Artistic Fare
This next catering idea works especially well if you’re hosting an event in an ultra-modern, sophisticated space.
Creating food that’s a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds is a surefire way to get your guests talking (and snapping Instagram photos.) It’s also a great way to highlight the artsy side of your event, and we’re not just talking about elegant desserts either. Just about any course can get an artful spin just from the plating and presentation. This sophisticated catering idea proves that elegant, artfully prepared fare isn’t just for fancy restaurants.
5. Small Bites
One-bite foods are always fun, which brings us to the last of our hot catering ideas for this year: taking your favourite foods and making them into delicious, miniature versions.
This fun catering idea works for a wide variety of foods including comfort food favourites like sliders and meatballs all the way up to elegant finger foods like tuna sashimi cones and fig and brie tartlets, packing a whole lot of flavour into one delicious bite. This versatility makes it a possibility for a range of events from casual birthday parties to black tie galas. And since everything is one-bite, it makes it easier for guests to mingle without being weighed down by a plate and cutlery.
