cocktail party ideas

Playful menu items included cherry bocconcini with grape tomatoes with individual tubes of balsamic vinaigrette. Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex handled the catering.

What you won’t see at this year’s parties: carving stations with big hunks of pot roast, troughs of food lying under heat lamps, or sushi bars lined with rows of premade California rolls. What is trending: small plates, interactive food stations, and artfully presented bite-size fare. While some corporate clients are still attached to the formality of sit-down dinners during the holidays, experts say that guests love the variety that comes with cocktail and dessert receptions. “Throughout the year, employees are used to being served filet and fish at conferences and business dinners—at the end of the year, they want to have more fun,” says Gorjestani. Adds Chinea: “Guests like to see a chef creating a little masterpiece just for them. With small plates, everything is more interactive and focused on presentation.” And for those looking to go a step beyond live-action stations, servers at Mary Giuliani Catering & Events in New York are now passing out tasting plates from trays strapped on cigarette-girl style: A recent event had staffers wearing “walking” mac ‘n’ cheese stations that allowed guests to grab an individual serving of the cheesy comfort food, then choose from D.I.Y. toppings, including jalapeños, bacon, and fried chicken, right on the spot. Pictured: For a corporate party held last November in the Washington area, Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events worked with Occasions Caterers to design several custom stations, including one that offered guests their choice of freshly made salmon, tuna, or beef tartare (left); Mary Giuliani Catering & Events staffers wore “walking” D.I.Y. mac ‘n’ cheese stations at an event earlier this year (right).

At an AOL event in New York in April, hors d’oeuvres by Pinch Food Design were presented on platters that hung from helium-filled balloons.

Wedge salad bites served on forks, by Occasions Caterers in Washington

Fingerling potato cups filled with truffled steak tartare, by BG Events and Catering in Boston

Crispy malanga tacos with smoked tuna belly, spicy corn aioli, and roasted root ­vegetable ­confetti, by Shiraz Events in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles

Buttermilk-fried chicken and waffle bites with black pepper gravy and scallions, by Oliver & Bonacini Events in Toronto

At the February opening of Washington venue the Powerhouse, Design Cuisine added a D.I.Y. element to the cheese and charcuterie buffet: Guests topped their selections with unique spices displayed in suspended glass bowls or flavored olive oils and vinegars housed in squeeze bottles.

New York’s Great Performances can set up a dessert station featuring hanging pastry bags filled with flavored custards that guests pipe into mini beignets and profiteroles. Custard flavors include tangerine, mint, three-berry, Earl Grey, and vanilla bean.