Food is a major part of any type of event and you want to nail it to reach perfection. Just as you need researched for hiring event tent rentals, you need some tips for hiring the perfect caterer for your event.
Have A Menu In Mind
Before you even decide to narrow down a caterer for your event, the first thing you need to do is to have a menu. Having a menu will make the caterer selection a lot easier, because you will have something to give to the caterer, about what kinds of foods you want, how the food needs to be prepared, any special preferences, etc.
If you have a menu for your event, then you can automatically choose the caterers who will be able to execute the food you have in mind.
What’s Your Budget?
Another very important thing to consider is your budget for the menu. Make sure that you have an allocated amount of money set aside as the budget for the menu and food. This is what your quote will be when you go to different caterers.
Make sure that the menu isn’t too elaborate or over-the-top because it will obviously cost more and will affect your overall event budget as well. Try to go for a reasonable budget and negotiate further with the caterer, once the deal is sealed. You will have a clearer plan of action once you have your budget set.
Always Ask For Taste Tests
This is also an important thing to ask when you’re looking for hiring caterers for your event. Always ask for a taste test and the chef’s name, when going for finalizing the food items on your menu.
A lot of the time, the chefs at the time of the tasting sampling and at the event can be completely different and the taste and quality might alter too, so you want to make sure that you’re getting the same chef for your event as the one in the sampling. Also, a sample taste test will also give you an idea about how the food tastes and whether is it good or not.
The History Of The Caterer
References are very important when it comes to caterers. But, besides the usual, you want to take it a step further and look at past events with these caterers, their pictures, how they set up the food, and such.
You want to see how they work and put small details on the food and if the presentation is up to your expectations or not. These things will give you a good idea about the work ethic of the caterer and if their promises of delivering perfection are any good or not.
Do They Have What You Need?
Another crucial thing to look for, when scouting out the perfect caterer for your event, is to make sure that they know what you want. It’s very important that you paint a visual image of what you want the presentation of food to look like, what kinds of foods you want, when they should start serving, etc.
These things are the make-or-break of catering services and you want to find the perfect one which ticks all of the boxes and gives you exactly what you’re looking for. This is why you should never settle for the first option and always keep looking for better options.
Always Meet In Person
Last but not least, you want to meet the catering company and staff in person. You might underestimate the power of in-person meetings, but with something like food, you don’t want to wing it.
Make it your goal to at least have two meetings, if not more, with your caterer, during the selection process as well. This is where you can ask all of the miscellaneous questions and let them know what you’re looking for. Caterers will also appreciate your effort and concern and they will strive to give you the best service.
Conclusion
There you have it! With these tips, people will be raving about the food in your event for days. If it’s food, then it has to be something exceptional, so you need to do a bit more homework before choosing the perfect candidate. Many event rentals Rockland NY provide catering services as well so check with yours.