So You Need A Caterer...

Go into the relationship prepared for the best experience

It’s your big event – wedding, bar mitzvah, anniversary – and you want a caterer.

Congratulations! Relieving yourself of the stress of dealing with food, service and preparation frees you to enjoy your special day. To make sure your day is completely stress-free, here are some points to consider before meeting with your caterer:

Budget

Come to the meeting with an idea of how much you will spend for your event. Remember, hiring a caterer is like owning a restaurant for a few hours. You will work with a chef to plan your menu; you will taste a sample menu to make a final decision on food. Then, on the day of the event, the entire restaurant comes to you: Plates, glassware, servers and food. Per person cost of a catering includes prep time, clean up time, wages, fuel and more. You’re doing far more than buying food – you’re paying for a professional team to make your event special.

Availability

Have a date in mind – and a couple of options if possible. There are peak seasons in which catering services become scarce due to demand. If you plan to use a caterer, confirm a date with the catering company – as well as bar service, a band or DJ and any other outside contractors before printing invitations!

Where your event will be held is just as important. It’s a real juggling act to nail down dates for so many aspects – but it has to be done early in order to accommodate your needs. Your professional caterer can recommend venues in some cases. At the least, your caterer needs to know where they will be working in order to plan for the proper equipment, food storage and service.

Quality of Food

Don’t hesitate to ask where your caterer sources food. You are paying for chef-created dishes – not frozen food that came in a box and has been reheated prior to your event.

In an era where there is so much emphasis on farm-to-table, organic or sustainable foods, professional catering chefs hold themselves to the same standards as the finest restaurants and should openly discuss how and where they source their ingredients.

If you have food philosophies or standards in terms of sustainability, local vs. imported or other expectations – make that clear to your caterer.

Tasting Session

A professional caterer will offer a tasting session in which you and your future mate can taste from a menu of proposed dishes. In the past, brides tended to be the sole decision maker, but more and more grooms are stepping to the table to voice their preferences.

Consider this the first of many marital compromises! Creating a menu to satisfy a variety of tastes is just one of the challenges professional caterers accommodate with every job.

Great Expectations

Communicate clearly and early on about what you expect from your professional caterer. If you want all-local ingredients but have an event date outside of growing seasons – you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Rely on the feedback from your caterer – they work in this community every day, have experience and have already overcome many of the pitfalls first-time event planners encounter.

If you anticipate guests with dietary restrictions, plan from Day One for the contingency. There are lots of decisions to make and a variety of options ranging from service type (passed appetizers, buffet, seated dinner, action stations) and the professional caterer is there to help you make choices that fit your budget, your venue and your lifestyle.

It’s like the saying goes: “The best surprise…is no surprise!”

Experience

Prepare a list of potential professional caterers, then make contact and ask for references. Call those references and get their feedback. A client who has had a bad experience will not hold back – they had a problem with their special event.

Visit the caterer’s website to seek out testimonials, see photos from their events and determine if the caterer truly has pride in their work. Visit social media sites like Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to see if your caterer candidate is savvy about promoting their business by putting forth great images, positive comments and professional-looking presentations.

Setting the Scene

Presentation is part of the package. Professional caterers are artists on many levels: as chefs, as table

dressers, as food stylists. Even the simplest of food can be made to look great with exquisite serving pieces, tablecloths and table dressing and little touches that add elegance and style to a table.

A great looking table setting or tidy, colorful buffet is just one part of the scene. Look through photos of your caterer’s other events. Is the caterer dressed professionally? Are servers dressed appropriately and consistently? Are tablecloths, flatware and china clean, free of damage and stylish?

Service

Depending on the size of your event, your caterer might find it necessary to enlist service staff. The number of service staff, additional cost and expectations should be outlined as part of your contract with the caterer.

Equally so, the performance of these additional staff should be spelled out – remember, this is your “restaurant” for a few hours – and you’re the boss!

Server and bartenders should dress and act professionally. They should not patronize with guests, nor disappear on “breaks.” They should be familiar with and able to explain dishes and ingredients to guests – and bartenders should be skilled enough to handle any bar service being provided.

The supervision of these staff falls upon the caterer – to whom you should report any deficiencies you witness.

Working with a professional caterer for your special events can be one of the most rewarding and educational experiences of your life. Both parties must keep open lines of communications, be clear about expectations and understand that – even in a perfect world – little changes crop up that have to be handled.

Above all, have fun and enjoy your special day!