Food plays an important role
in any event so you'll want to take plenty of time and care
when choosing your caterer. Here are some questions to ask
your caterer beforehand to ensure that you have a smooth
event without any surprises!
Menu Options
- Ask your caterer what menu options they have in mind for
the type of event you are having as well as your budget.
If you are having an engagement party, your caterer may
suggest serving canapes and cocktails and if you are having
a more formal event like a wedding, they may suggest something
like a buffet.
Food Preparation
- Does the caterer use all fresh food and produce? Will
any of the food for the reception be previously frozen or
cooked? Most of the "top notch" caterers use fresh
ingredients, creating everything from scratch. Some caterers
will prepare food offsite ie. chopping, peeling etc so that
the production of the meals runs smoothly at the actual
venue.
Taste Testing
- Ask if your caterer will do a "tasting". Most
caterers will charge for this service and some do not offer
a tasting service at all. If they do not offer "tastings"
or they charge too much to hold a tasting then make sure
you have checked out their references.
Leftovers -
Ask what is done with the leftover food, particularly if
you are having a buffet as there can be a lot of food leftover.
You may want to keep some of the food for lunch the next
day or give it to a childrens home or a homeless shelter.
Family Recipes - Ask if dishes can be prepared
that are not included on the regular menu. Some brides have
a special "family" dish they'd like or a particular
type of ethnic food prepared. This is a great way to really
personalize your dinner and reception.
Guaranteed Numbers
- Many caterers will quote prices based upon a certain number
or minimum number of guests. For instance, many caterers
base their figures on a minimum of 50 guests. If you’re
final guest count is for only 35 guests, there may be an
additional fee. Make sure you ask whether they will charge
an additional fee and how much?
Wedding Cake/Birthday
Cake etc- Can they make a birthday or wedding cake
or celebratory cake?
VAT and Gratuities
- Are they included in the price? Are there any
additional fees that are not included in the quote or proposal,
such as waitresses etc?
Ratio of waitresses/servers
to Guests - How many waitrons or waitresses does
you caterer suggest for your function? Although it depends
on the type of function you have, one good rule of thumb
is to have one server for every 8-10 guests.
Dress Code for Waitrons
& Chefs- What is the uniform for the waitrons? Smart
or casual? Black and White or something more colourful or
themed? Will the caterer organise the uniform or must you?
Will the chefs be wearing chefs uniforms? Will they be dressed
formally in a black and white tuxedo look?
Decorations -
Ask to see the cateres table displays and food layout. Some
caterers that do buffets or snack tables will include floral
arrangements and other decorations. Let your caterer know
your colour scheme because he or she may like to include
the colour either as a garnish, a type of food or they may
even like to incorporate the colour into the crockery used.
Tableware and Linens - Does the price include
table linens, napkins, dishes, and glassware? Ask to see
samples. Remember, if they don't offer tableware and linens,
you can always visit specialist event decor companies that
have a wide variety of products to choose from.
Menu Boards
- A recent trend when doing buffets is to have a name board
alonside each dish, giving the name of the dish and the
key ingredients. Many guests love to know the what’s
in the delicious dishes they'll be eating.
How
Many Events have you catered for? - In
order to have your event run smoothly, you really want someone
who has experience in event catering. Ask your caterer if
they are confident to prepare food for the number of people
attending our event. Ask for references!
What is your speciality? Ask the caterer if they
have a particular speciality and perhaps consider including
something along those lines on the menu - the chef will
most likelybe confident cooking that type of food and dish
and has probably tweaked it to perfection.
What hygiene
precautions do you take? Do
you have any certificates of food hygiene courses that you
have done? How will food be kept hot and at what temperature?
Do you wear hair nets or hats, aprons etc?
Will you do a site visit beforehand? Make sure
the caterer does a site visit beforehand so that they can
see the layout of the venue, the space they have to work
with as well as plug points etc.. This will ensure the event
runs smoothly because the catering company will know what
to expect and what they have to work with.
Do you collect crockery and cutlery after the event? Ask
your caterer if this is included in their fee and if not
what will they charge for this service.
