How Catering Services And Event Organizers Work Together

by Workapp World WorkApp

As an event organizing agency which provides full service you may know all about organizing events. By this point you should have a long list of industry contacts. A good event organizer will have a slew of bartenders, venues, DJs, event staff, design teams, talent managers or anyone else that the clients may be looking for - all can be arranged. But when the rubber meets the road, the biggest question to be answered is food, the most important part of any event. This is when catering services come into the picture. Let us face it, it is a huge part of our culture, and it is something we would love to have a chat about long after the event has been done; we like indulging in it. So, if a mistake is made in picking the right catering service, the event is doomed.

The Job of a Caterer

Catering services have the power of making or breaking a conference, a business meeting, wedding reception, exhibition or any special event for that matter. Many caterers also pitch in with a setup of audio-visual equipment, event decoration, and some other important elements. They may be employees on payrolls of the conference centre or independent contractors. No matter what the case is, they are responsible for handling all logistics for food, décor, beverage, and entertainment whether it is a formal sitting dinner or a cocktail hour.

The Preliminary Work of Event Organizers

Most of the initial work has already been completed before the event organizers meet with the caterer. The organizer makes sure that he/she understands the nature of the event being planned in every detail. Event organizers will make sure they understand the purpose of the event and the guests, who will be coming to witness the event. It may be a serious gathering or something being organized for some celebration. It could be a meeting involving just business associates or it could be a bring-your-kids kind of company bash. The guests may be expecting cocktails to be served or it may be more of a coffee and affair. It could be a dinner to be had sitting down or with finger foods being served. A most important part of the equation is that the planner is aware of budget constraints.

Deciding the Menu

The organizer sits down with the catering manager of the banquet a long time before the event to agree on the basics. A meeting involving business associates may need boxed lunches while a charity gala with everyone wearing black ties would call for a menu where food is served on a plate.

The organizer and the catering service folks then sit down to decide what they are going to serve. An event organizer will need to account for the expectations the guests whilst adhering to their budget. The organizer should talk very openly to the caterer regarding any limitations in the budget. A good catering manager should be able to help in creating an event which looks elegant but does not necessarily have to be costly by using seasonal local produce, for example. These two need to work as a team to make any event a success.