Struggling to choose the menu for your party or event? The food is the most important part of any event so if you want to appease all your guests, follow these tips to pick the right menu every time!
Know Your Theme
If you’re having a cocktail or networking event, you should consider serving hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie boards, and maybe a few stations serving appetizers like carved meats and oysters. Weddings often require fancy plated meals and corporate events lean towards full-scale appetizer and dessert tables. Every theme has a typical menu. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a seated meal at a networking event or a BBQ buffet at a wedding. But just remember, if you sway too far outside the lines, your menu might miss your guests’ expectations and also make the event feel rather awkward.
Consider Everyone
Only choosing a meat dominated menu might not sit well with the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd. If you’re having a small event, you can ask for any dietary restrictions to help you better plan your menu. If the event will be large, it’s best to choose a wide variety of food options to ensure that everyone has something they will love.
Go Flavourful But Not Too Aromatic
Serving a menu with strong aromas at the beginning of a 3-hour corporate event might not turn out to be as great of an idea as you had envisioned. Strong flavours and aromas tend to linger long after they are devoured. So it’s important to remember that if you plan to offer flavourful food, keep the odors to a minimal by going easy on the spice.
Mix Up Traditional with Unique
Not everyone likes gourmet food like foie gras or quail eggs, so it’s important to have a nice mix of traditional and unique dishes. A menu that will satisfy each guest might include a few classic dishes like stuffed boneless chicken, pork tenderloin, prime rib, filet mignon, salmon, and vegetarian fusilli along with a few different mains like ratatouille, chicken waikiki, and cornish hen. If you want to get creative to please to the foodies, it’s best to offer one exquisite dish or a number of surprise appetizers.
Ask A Pro
Event planners are the perfect people to touch base with when you need help choosing a menu. They’ve worked thousands of events and can help you find the right taste notes for your style of event. If the venue has a catering staff talk to them directly. They’ll help you pick out the right selection from their menu or create you a tailored menu that works with your theme and budget.
At St. Elias we have a well-rounded menu that works for a variety of events. Whether you’re looking for gourmet food items for a wedding or exquisite food stations for a gala, we offer a range of appetizers, brunch options, buffet packages, food stations, main courses, refreshment break options, side dishes, and dessert selections. Take a look out our menu here, and find out more about how our venue can cater to your entire event from beginning to end!