Whether for office lunches, business dinners to close big deals or holiday parties, company owners often like to impress with corporate catering. The food, the drink and even the catering equipment should all wow.
Making that impression all comes down to knowing what people want — which might not be all that intuitive. Research shows modern employees and event attendees value casual atmospheres and comfort foods, for example.
Here are 15 corporate catering trends that company executives should know.
People Around the World Love Italian and Chinese Foods
Ivan Widjaya at Small Business CEO cites a study that found Italian and Chinese cuisines are the most preferred for corporate catering. While Widjaya says that many people connect the nutritional and waist-slimming benefits of a Mediterranean diet with Italian food, there’s been a little dissonance between that image and company executives who want to serve “pizza all day every day, watered down with copious amounts of excellent red or white wine.”
In Other Words: Get Healthy Foods on the Menu
Carrie Bucaro and John Rudy at event company Social Tables remind caterers that healthy dishes are still important for the majority of people, regardless of a corporate setting. “More and more people are choosing the vegetarian entrée, not because they are vegetarians, but because it is a healthier option,” they say.
Street Food Has Gone Corporate
The fare you can find at a food truck isn’t exactly synonymous with professional work functions. However, the Edison Ballroom in New York writes that street food is still popular at events, including corporate ones. “Hosts strive to fuse elegance, convenience, and playfulness and food trucks are the perfect solution,” the venue staff says.
However, Do Keep Upscale Foods on the Menu
In December, Katie Deighton at Event Magazine in the UK spoke with SMART Group business development director Richard Groves, who said that while once elegant foods were only served on rare occasions, today more and more events require them. “We have been asked a lot more this season for upgraded wines, prime cuts of meat, tranches of great fish and pristine, delicious shellfish,” he says.
Gluten-Free Frozen Desserts Are on the Rise
Frozen desserts are convenient to serve at corporate functions because they only need to be thawed and plated. Event venue 583 Park Avenue in New York writes that adding gluten-free treats to the menu “has rejuvenated frozen desserts like ice cream and sorbet in a somewhat unexpected way.”
A caterer’s dessert menu may include avocado or cucumber ice cream infused with other natural flavors. Not only does this make for a memorable dining experience, but it goes back to the above points about the necessity of serving healthier, vegetarian or vegan fare.
Bacon Still Reigns Supreme
Bacon hasn’t had its day yet. Amelia K. at food delivery service Waiter.com writes that bacon is super versatile, so even caterers who are trying to keep their menus healthy can still find a place for it in a dish or two. She suggests wrapping bacon around Brussels sprouts, stuffing it inside mushrooms, adding some texture with bacon in potato cheddar soup and even serving bacon brown sugar waffles for dessert or brunch.
“Integrating this American favorite into your meal choices in small ways can be a great way to indulge without going over the top when it comes to your bacon consumption,” she says.
Food Reflects Your Company’s Brand
All companies are trying to push their respective brands, and Maggie Hennessy at QSR Magazine writes that when a company chooses a caterer, especially when feeding potential clients, the food should reflect the brand.
Foodservice analyst Julia Gallo-Torres spoke to Hennessy, noting the connection between food and a company’s brand: “Catering foods in an office setting helps promote the brand, so it’s important that the foods be fresh and served at the appropriate temperatures. …A negative experience can negatively impact the brand, so caterers should carefully consider the types of foods requested and whether they can deliver on quality, taste, and experience.”
Include Grazing Stations
Event Birdie says grazing stations are “perfect for cocktail parties, networking events, pre-dinner drinks and that awkward time between wedding ceremony and wedding reception. They are also fairly budget friendly, as they can replace the need for canapés for short events.”
Caterers can also include vegan and vegetarian options. The more food here, the better the grazing station will look, but don’t get too overzealous. Event Birdie reminds caterers they should “include nibbles that can easily be taken by guests with one hand.”
Small Plates Are Still Big
On that note, Essential Chefs Catering in Massachusetts recommends that caterers add small plates to the menu. Hors d’oeuvres, tapas and other such dishes are ideal to give employees something to munch on while they wait for lunch or dinner to be served. Because these plates are small and portable, employees can work the room and still shake hands when they need to.
Keep Desserts Small, Too
While you commonly hear about the popularity of small plates, that isn’t so with small desserts. Still, Food Matters with Jacqui Rey in South Africa writes that pastries, tiny eclairs, one-bite brownies and pre-cut lemon bars make dessert a short but sweet affair, which is perfect for busy employees who have a long afternoon or evening ahead.
Consider Including Middle Eastern Menu Items
Hilton Worldwide cites Jasmine Baker, president and principal planner at For the Love of Food, who says that Middle Eastern dishes, are big for corporate events. Caterers may want to start including shawarmas, falafels, hummus and more on their menus.
Spice up the Menu with Seasonings from Around the World
Laura Walsh at Olympia Catering & Events in Florida loves to mix and match cuisines. She’s combined spicy sauces such as Peri Peri, chimichurri or Sriracha with beloved and familiar dishes and gotten great responses. Some of her creations so far: sprinkling chimichurri on beef tenderloin and adding a five-spice powder to Sriracha-wasabi deviled eggs.
Don’t Forget to Make the Food Look Nice
Employees may have been sitting in meetings all morning or afternoon. When the catering team arrives with the food, it will be a welcome sight. Make it even more welcome with an appealing display, says RX Catering Baltimore. “Food presentation is now more important than ever,” the company writes. “The pleasure of eating begins by seeing a nice, elegant, and well-presented dish.”
Combine Favorite Dishes into One New Meal
Kristi Casey Sanders at Plan Your Meetings talked with David Wood, the senior vice president at Culinaire International, who spoke of a fun food trend in catering and events: making mashups of favorite foods. Dessert pizza is a perfect example. “Think coconut, chocolate and strawberry with fresh mint on a savory cracker crust,” Sanders writes.
Food Should be an Energy Source
In the end, the food that caterers serve will keep employees running for the rest of the day. “You must avoid poor-quality food, high caffeine and high-sugar beverages or desserts and alcoholic drinks as much as possible,” Scott Kaplan at Philadelphia food truck Jerry’s Kitchen says. These only provide short bursts of energy for a brief span of time.
images by:
andreaegger, Meditations, Madrover, stokpic