1. Get Creative, But Not Too Creative
With benefits, product launches, and business dinners to attend, some New Yorkers spend more time at the buffet table than the one in their kitchen or dining room. That can make it hard to wow their taste buds without alienating them in the process. "I eat everything, but I wouldn't serve everything," says Stacey Chait, vice president at a global investment bank. A good rule to follow: Be inventive, while still serving food with universal appeal. For example, at a conference that happened to coincide with Cinco de Mayo, Chait challenged the venue's caterer to tweak its standard menu with subtle references to the Mexican holiday. The result was a chicken breast sandwich with sliced avocado and a chipotle spread and corn bread with and without jalapeños. And instead of the standard chocolate chip cookies typically served on a break, she opted for churros served with a warm chocolate sauce, which drew a line outside the conference room. "Every culture has some form of confection like that," she says, explaining the broad appeal. Still, Chait says, use caution when planning a menu with a caterer who is uncomfortable deviating from the norm. "If they say, 'I can't do that,' it's never worth pushing, because it isn't going to be the result you want."
2. Save Money on Dry Cleaning
Planning a menu means thinking about the food that never quite makes it into guests' mouths. Karin Weston, assistant director of alumni relations for Colby College, will never forget the time one of the college's biggest donors drizzled the teriyaki soy sauce that accompanied the shrimp over the front of her new silk blouse. "It didn't make for a very happy person," Weston says, adding that she offered to pay for the alumna's dry cleaning bill. Ever since, Weston has instructed caterers to either make their sauces thick or skip them altogether. She also stays away from anything with fine pastry dough that's likely to crumble all over guests' cashmere. "If you serve something that can drip on your guests, it can ruin their whole evening." It will get guests talking about the party—just not in a manner you'd prefer.
3. Dress It Up
"The eye speaks to the stomach," says Anne Ferril of catering firm A Delicate Balance. For a buffet, choose food that looks just as good at the end of the evening as it does in the beginning. Ferril avoids beets, which run, and avocado, which turns brown. And when planning the menu for a lunch or a dinner, think of the plate as an empty canvas. Jennifer Rominiecki, associate vice president for special events at the New York Botanical Garden, looks for food that visually complements the garden's benefits and galas. "I ask myself, 'Is it attractive?' and 'Is it dramatic?'" she says. Instead of potatoes—a downer for those counting carbs—she pairs meat and fish with orzo, which is lighter and can be easily colored by saffron or tomatoes. One of her favorite desserts is called an ice cream "bomb" presented in a French service. When the waiter cuts into it, various elements inside like strawberries and meringue are displayed in a dramatic flourish. "It's a crowd pleaser," Rominiecki says.
4. Plan for Picky Eaters
Guests can have a host of food restrictions, preferences, and allergies. And beyond the obvious list—Muslims who don't eat pork, pregnant women who avoid soft cheese, and the inevitable guest who is allergic to shellfish—there's bound to be something that will catch you off guard. Heather Yacouby, special events coordinator for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,
once planned a meeting with an attendee who was allergic to lettuce. How can you possibly prepare for such surprises? When interviewing caterers, ask for an example of a time they've had to accommodate an unusual circumstance on the fly. "The good ones can make these odd situations good on a dime, which is quite reassuring," Yacouby says. Also, be sure the caterer or banquet manager has briefed the waitstaff on the menu's ingredients. "A lot of times they don't know what they're serving," says Felice Axelrod, president of the Council of Protocol Executives.
5. Don't Drag It Out
No matter how spectacular the meal, if it's served in a business setting, at some point after the salmon is served, a good portion of your guests will be plotting their exit. So it's a waste of your guests' time—not to mention the host's money—to overload them with courses. Joyce Croak, manager of special events northeast for Deloitte, typically sticks to three courses. She recently planned an event at Per Se with five courses, including a cheese course and dessert. Still, even Thomas Keller's four-star cooking wasn't enough to keep guests there. About a quarter of them left before dessert. "They were thrilled to be at Per Se, but people don't want that long of an evening for a business dinner."
—Michele Marchetti
Posted 09.26.05
With benefits, product launches, and business dinners to attend, some New Yorkers spend more time at the buffet table than the one in their kitchen or dining room. That can make it hard to wow their taste buds without alienating them in the process. "I eat everything, but I wouldn't serve everything," says Stacey Chait, vice president at a global investment bank. A good rule to follow: Be inventive, while still serving food with universal appeal. For example, at a conference that happened to coincide with Cinco de Mayo, Chait challenged the venue's caterer to tweak its standard menu with subtle references to the Mexican holiday. The result was a chicken breast sandwich with sliced avocado and a chipotle spread and corn bread with and without jalapeños. And instead of the standard chocolate chip cookies typically served on a break, she opted for churros served with a warm chocolate sauce, which drew a line outside the conference room. "Every culture has some form of confection like that," she says, explaining the broad appeal. Still, Chait says, use caution when planning a menu with a caterer who is uncomfortable deviating from the norm. "If they say, 'I can't do that,' it's never worth pushing, because it isn't going to be the result you want."
2. Save Money on Dry Cleaning
Planning a menu means thinking about the food that never quite makes it into guests' mouths. Karin Weston, assistant director of alumni relations for Colby College, will never forget the time one of the college's biggest donors drizzled the teriyaki soy sauce that accompanied the shrimp over the front of her new silk blouse. "It didn't make for a very happy person," Weston says, adding that she offered to pay for the alumna's dry cleaning bill. Ever since, Weston has instructed caterers to either make their sauces thick or skip them altogether. She also stays away from anything with fine pastry dough that's likely to crumble all over guests' cashmere. "If you serve something that can drip on your guests, it can ruin their whole evening." It will get guests talking about the party—just not in a manner you'd prefer.
3. Dress It Up
"The eye speaks to the stomach," says Anne Ferril of catering firm A Delicate Balance. For a buffet, choose food that looks just as good at the end of the evening as it does in the beginning. Ferril avoids beets, which run, and avocado, which turns brown. And when planning the menu for a lunch or a dinner, think of the plate as an empty canvas. Jennifer Rominiecki, associate vice president for special events at the New York Botanical Garden, looks for food that visually complements the garden's benefits and galas. "I ask myself, 'Is it attractive?' and 'Is it dramatic?'" she says. Instead of potatoes—a downer for those counting carbs—she pairs meat and fish with orzo, which is lighter and can be easily colored by saffron or tomatoes. One of her favorite desserts is called an ice cream "bomb" presented in a French service. When the waiter cuts into it, various elements inside like strawberries and meringue are displayed in a dramatic flourish. "It's a crowd pleaser," Rominiecki says.
4. Plan for Picky Eaters
Guests can have a host of food restrictions, preferences, and allergies. And beyond the obvious list—Muslims who don't eat pork, pregnant women who avoid soft cheese, and the inevitable guest who is allergic to shellfish—there's bound to be something that will catch you off guard. Heather Yacouby, special events coordinator for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,
once planned a meeting with an attendee who was allergic to lettuce. How can you possibly prepare for such surprises? When interviewing caterers, ask for an example of a time they've had to accommodate an unusual circumstance on the fly. "The good ones can make these odd situations good on a dime, which is quite reassuring," Yacouby says. Also, be sure the caterer or banquet manager has briefed the waitstaff on the menu's ingredients. "A lot of times they don't know what they're serving," says Felice Axelrod, president of the Council of Protocol Executives.
5. Don't Drag It Out
No matter how spectacular the meal, if it's served in a business setting, at some point after the salmon is served, a good portion of your guests will be plotting their exit. So it's a waste of your guests' time—not to mention the host's money—to overload them with courses. Joyce Croak, manager of special events northeast for Deloitte, typically sticks to three courses. She recently planned an event at Per Se with five courses, including a cheese course and dessert. Still, even Thomas Keller's four-star cooking wasn't enough to keep guests there. About a quarter of them left before dessert. "They were thrilled to be at Per Se, but people don't want that long of an evening for a business dinner."
—Michele Marchetti
Posted 09.26.05
To help guests identify their options at a lunch buffet?which included New York strip steak, spinach salad, and Mediterranean chicken salad?Bridgewaters identified each item with place cards.
