The 39th annual Zoo Ball, presented by the Women's Board of the Lincoln Park Zoo, was held in Chicago in July. Dubbed “Penguins in Paradise,” the black-tie event was inspired by the endangered African penguins that will move into the zoo in the fall and featured nods to the birds, including a lemon parfait dessert with fresh berries that was accompanied by glowing penguin ornaments.
Tech conference Microsoft Ignite took place September 26 to 30 in Atlanta. "Camp Microsoft Ignite," the summer camp-theme final night of the conference, took place in Centennial Olympic Park and offered a waffle cone s'mores station. The event was produced in partnership with Destination South.
In Los Angeles, Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events uses vertical buffets. The bookcase-style shelf takes up minimal floor space and lets guests grab their own dishes from various levels of shelves.
Sponsor Moët & Chandon set up its ever-popular and Instagram-magnet champagne vending machine, which guests operated using golden tokens.
Designed for outdoor events like pool parties, tailgating, and camping, BuzzBallz are ready-to-drink cocktails made with juice and 15 percent ABV vodka, rum, or tequila, each packaged in portable, single-serve containers that are stackable, recyclable, and unbreakable. The drinks are available in 15 different flavors such as Pineapple Passion, Watermelon Smash, and Strawberry Rum Job. They cost about $2.99 per ball and are available in retail stores throughout the U.S.
U.K. bar supplier Bespoke Barware recently launched its range of cocktail barware in the U.S. The hand-made ceramic designs include the likenesses of author Ernest Hemingway, the Blue Lady from Vladimir Tretchikoff’s painting, the Mount Rushmore presidents, and skull mugs in a selection of colors. The mugs cost $20 and higher; wholesale sets of 12 start at $150. All mugs are shipped from Texas. A wider selection of designs can be shipped to the U.S. upon request as well. Plus, all products are dishwasher safe.
Small bites at the event included doughnut holes that guests could pick off from a tree. Peter Callahan Catering handled catering.
Your Event Solution produced an adult Willy Wonka-theme corporate event for an association’s annual meeting on April 1 at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort outside of Atlanta. Showcasing a unique take on a doughnut wall, the event offered doughnuts placed on giant letters that spelled out “sweet."
Lemon granita was served in freshly carved lemons. Additionally, there were mini lemon popsicles, mini banana popsicles, and yellow cotton candy.
NBC News and MSNBC brought its White House Correspondents’ Dinner after-party to the Organization of American States’ Art Museum of the Americas April 28 in Washington. A late-night treat from Occasions Caterers was cereal ice cream sandwiches. Other desserts on the menu were mini cake cones, mini housemade ice cream Drumstick-style cones, mini palmiers, and a duo of savory and sweet mini scones.
For a recent event at the Perot Museum of Science and Nature in Dallas, Wolfgang Puck Catering employed a "chef shadowbox." Meant to provide a strong visual behind a more standard food station, a chef in a shadowbox prepared appetizers as guests looked on.
Other new stations at Wolfgang Puck Catering include a frozen sushi station. The activation displays fresh fish and sushi rolls atop illuminated ice blocks with frozen orchids and other flowers inside.
In Chicago, Blue Plate Catering brings candy apple stations to holiday parties. Treats include apples dipped in caramel and assorted toppings and sliced up into snack-size portions.
The catering firm also has a new burrata action station. Staffers top the creamy cheese with toasted pine nuts and Italian muscat syrup. The snack is gluten-free.
Toronto catering firm Eatertainment has a new chef action station devoted to salmon gravlax. Salmon is hung from hooks above the station and is sliced to order in front of guests. The raw fish is then chopped and served with root-vegetable crisps, miniature greens, and spiced yogurt.
The Toronto firm is also using bar carts to display food items. One such spread, wheeled to tables at an event, offered snacks such as frittatas, foie gras, sliders, and lobster.
In Chicago, catering firm Limelight has an innovative format for serving fruit skewers. The fruits are inserted into a custom wall with thematic wallpaper design (which varies for different events). Guests approach the wall and pull of a skewer and can dip the fruit in sauces that are arrayed on a nearby table.
Instead of serving French fries at a stationary table, Limelight has used a wheelbarrow to deliver Belgian frites at events. The fries are served in cones, and assorted sauces are displayed on the side.
Limelight's "Smash It" station offers assorted homemade chocolate bark in flavors such as dark chocolate with dried cherries. Mallets next to the sweets let guests "smash" off a snack-size piece of the bark.
Roar Events produced a summertime event at Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa in Southern California. The dinner had a modern Mexican theme and featured an interactive margarita station. Guests chose the type and flavor of their tequila, as well as one of many specialty salts.
