When attending a party or an event it is common that one of the most, if not the most memorable part of the gathering is the food.
Food is almost always the star of every celebration. That is why planning and preparing the food for every celebration is crucial. If you do not have the time and skills to prepare and cook your own food, it is okay. That’s what catering companies are for. If you are thinking of hiring one for your upcoming event, these are the things you should keep in mind.
- Set the date early
Caterers would need some time to buy all the ingredients and materials needed for the dishes, aside from the time for preparing and cooking the food. As such, an early notice is much appreciated. Although expert chefs and cooks can whip up food as fast as they can especially for just a small gathering, you wouldn’t want to sacrifice the kind of service quality by giving them such short notice. The recommended time is to give caterers a heads up is within two to four weeks’ notice. This already includes the time you could meet in person, have an ocular visit of where the event will be, and talk about your plans and how you imagine the event to be.
Other booking tips:
- If your event dates are flexible, consider booking during off-peak seasons, like January to February, July to August. When it comes to choosing which specific day of the week, Sundays are considered the slowest while Saturdays are expected to be busiest.
- At this digital age, almost everything is done online, even booking services for parties. But it is recommended to call the caterer or better yet meet them in person, to make it more personal.
- Collaborate with the caterer.
When you hire a caterer treat them like a partner and not just a supplier. But make sure to voice all your concerns, thoughts and ideas. In the end, it is still your event. When you get the chance to talk to your caterer, make sure you have already prepared what you had in mind of how you want your event to turn out. Do not just ask for the usual menus and what the caterer usually serves. Present your ideas and discuss about it. A good caterer would have great suggestions on any kind of event.
- Plan your budget carefully and take note of your wants and needs
Money talk can be quite intimidating, but it is one of those you need to talk about so they can gauge what their boundaries are in preparing all the food and the kind of ingredients they will use. Will they be using signature dishes or go for a similar but low-cost version of it? Give them your wish list and ideas but remind them to stick to your budget, and to inform you beforehand what can and cannot be done.
Other budgeting tips:
- To save on cash, bring and use your own linens, dishes, even chairs, to save on renting costs from the catering company.
- Go for lower-priced alternatives when it comes to the ingredients. Fish is cheaper than meat, for example. It doesn’t matter if the ingredients are more affordable, if they are cooked well, they will taste well.
- Do not cut the labor budget. You may scrimp on other things, but the quality of the service crew is important. The more people serving, the less stress you’ll get from serving and pleasing your guests.
Ryan Davis is the owner of Argyle Catering the best company for catering Jefferson City, MO has to offer.
