No matter which kind of event you are planning or hosting, we understand the importance of having quality catering for you and your guests while you experience our purpose-built venues.
With a plethora of dietary requirements, shifting timescales, and budgets, corporate catering can at times become a source of stress and monopolise an already expanding schedule.
What Makes a Great Conference Catering Experience?
Part of a successful meeting, conference or corporate event will depend on how well-fed and hydrated your guests are throughout. In this article, we will outline some ideas for a range of ways that corporate catering for meetings and events can be tackled with as much or as little effort as you’d like while maintaining a high standard and making sustainable choices.
Health may also mean catering for those with a specific dietary requirement, so be sure to be able to provide for those who may be vegetarian, vegan, lactose or gluten intolerant. Nobody should walk away from your event, meeting or conference feeling hungry.
Tea, coffee and water should always be available and consideration taken to those who may prefer a dairy alternative with their hot drinks such as oat or soy milk.
5 Event Catering Ideas
1. Health Conscious Catering
Healthy food, or in the least, healthier alternatives, are something that is becoming a standard requirement when catering for conferences and other events.
Nutritious nibbles and lunches will help to boost energy levels and concentration and are often simple and easy to make. Healthy doesn’t have to mean depriving your attendees of well-deserved treats but instead providing excellent event food that promotes productivity and engages your guests.
2. Breakfasts and Brunches
The benefit of breakfast and brunch is that it provides the opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the day.
Whether your guests sit down to a formal plated meal or help themselves to a buffet; a hearty breakfast or brunch can provide the necessary fuel for your guests to enjoy the event and stay alert during your meeting or conference.
Breakfast can be brilliant whether served hot or cold and has the benefit of having all the major food groups included while also quick and easy to prepare. Breakfast sandwiches or bagels are great quick bites, or alternatively bowls of mixed fruit and yoghurt.
A selection of tea and coffee is a must! Breakfast teas and decaf coffee are excellent additions that show your ability to cater for different types of guests.
3. Last-Minute Lunches
Schedules and plans are unfortunately often subject to change and that meeting that was organised for the following week is suddenly happening tomorrow.
The days of fast food referring to only unhealthy, and poorly put together plates are slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Colourful and healthy salads are incredibly easy to set up and prepare and make for the perfect light lunch. Fruit salad bowls are perfect as a sweet option at both breakfasts and lunches and can look beautiful on display. Allow your guests the option of adding honey or yoghurt to add more flavour and luxury.
While slightly more indulgent, pizza and pasta are another last-minute lunch that is likely to go down well with your guests, this could also be mixed with a DIY element where attendees can add their own selection of toppings based on their taste. Remember with pizza and pasta to include a gluten-free option.
Cupcakes are also a brilliant way of providing a sweet treat and beautifully decorated cupcakes are easy to source due to their growing popularity.
4. DIY Dishes
DIY catering at your event could change the way you plan your next meeting or conference. Provide an arrangement of deli items to allow guests to create their ideal hot or cold sandwiches and salads. Give them the freedom and flexibility to choose what they would like to eat adding a light-hearted feel to the event and a potential conversation starter.
Leave dressings and oils at the side as an additional extra rather than coating the salad - this can help keep the salad crunchy and fresh for longer.
5. Marvellous Meat-Free Meals
With an ongoing push to save the planet and recognise climate change, more people are opting to choose a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. It is important to cater to these dietary requirements with not only suitable but delicious tasting food.
Meat-free and completely vegan meals have recently transformed from basic bites into rich and delicious - and at Make we now ensure they always stand front and centre of our options rather than a last minute addition.
A plant-based option when catering for corporate events can also signify an awareness of responsibility for the environment which is something we are passionate about at Make Venues.
Consider Make Venues to Cater for your Next Meeting, Conference or Corporate Event
We hope that this article has helped and inspired you for your next conference, meeting or corporate event and its catering. Our commitment to sustainability and the environment is echoed throughout all three of our venue locations in London, Leamington Spa and Bristol.
All three of our UK venues provide high-quality food and beverage options for breakfasts, lunches and dinners and we’re proud of our reputation for high-end catering provision. No matter which venue you choose, Make Venues is here to realise your objectives and create memorable meetings for your guests.
Contact our team today on 0808 168 5876, or get in touch via our enquiry form for more information on catering for corporate events.