Food and drink are at the heart of any successful company party. Often, the most difficult part of organizing and planning an event is deciding on the menu to serve. Event planning for a successful party means deciding whether to have a cocktail party with appetizers, a full sit down dinner or a buffet that could also include individual food stations (salad, meat, seafood and dessert).
Keep in mind that the time of day for which your party is planned will directly affect the type of service and the amount of food you will require. So will the expectations of the guests. But the most important factor that will dictate the style of catering you choose is your budget. A sit down dinner generally costs more, and the added cost of the serving staff must be factored in. A sit down dinner also requires sufficient space, with more room needed for tables and chairs.
A buffet style gathering will require tables for catering equipment, and if you choose to have traditional turkey or roast beef, space for the chef carving station is a must. Presentation tables for an appetizer party are needed unless you decide to have wait staff serve guests as they mingle. You will still require a preparation area. Your staff kitchen might do the trick; consult with the caterer.
If you need to squeeze as much as you can out of your budget, have the caterer drop off the items you’ve chosen for your party’s menu. You’ll need a table large enough to hold your menu choices, along with serving dishes, plates, untensils, glasses, etc.
Your event will have a better shot at success if you keep the following in mind:
- Know your office food etiquette. If yours is an office of women, serve food that is lighter and beautifully presented. Chocolate anything always goes over well. It’s very different if you are a construction company, where you want to serve generous portions of heartier meals.
- Be sensitive to the ethnic and religious requirements of the staff within your workplace.
- How much food is needed will depend on how many people will attend and the timing of your party. Luncheons typically require less food then evening parties.
Cocktail party style:
- Light: 3 to 5 pieces
- Medium: 5-8 pieces per person
- Full meal party: 8-15 pieces per person
- Dinner style cocktail parties require 15 to 20 pieces per person.
- Renting China, Glassware and Cutlery will make any party planner’s life much easier and is eco-friendly. You should be able to rent them from your caterer. If you want disposable,choose a caterer that has eco-friendly items available. Have the rentals delivered the day before to ensure you are ready for the set up the day of the event. If you are missing items, early delivery gives you time to make wrongs into rights.
- Double up on everything. Your guests will likely leave glasses, plates and cutlery wherever they go. Planning on two of everything per guest invited is a smart event planning strategy.
- Serving Staff. A buffet is a good choice if you are not hiring staff. Stack plates at the beginning of the line. Place cutlery and napkins at the end of the buffet line. Setting up in this fashion eliminates guests having to engage in a balancing act while serving themselves.
- If you have the space available, set up several areas for food. This ensures that everyone will not crowd the same buffet table at once. Always make sure there are plenty of napkins, plates and cutlery at each table.
- Wow factor. Providing butler service for your planned event will lend a certain elegance to the experience, and your guests will feel truly valued.
A good menu for your office party will help make your event the success you need it to be. A little more thought at the early planning stages will make all the difference in the world.
Robert Vidra is the founder and CEO of Simply Elegant,one of Canada’s foremost catering and events companies, headquartered in Calgary. The company is known for its unique and thoughtful approach to event planning, including corporate events, private parties and weddings. Their on-staff chefs and designer create menus, decors and even florals that perfectly reflect the occasion and match your budget.