Photo: Jenny Anderson
One server rolled around on a Segway-like contraption that held a keg of beer. He rolled up to guests and poured drinks on the spot.
Photo: Al Zayed
Aerialists in giant swaths of silk manned "sky trays," which were elevated trays holding items such as strawberries and grapes.
Photo: Al Zayed
While waiting at the bar, guests were surrounded by a cloud of bubbles that poured out of a nearby machine.
Photo: Al Zayed
Perched high above the crowd, a performer in a half-moon-shaped contraption had a basket of fortune cookies that she lowered down to the crowd.
Photo: Al Zayed
Silk aerialists also descended from the center a giant chandelier made of wine bottles. The severs poured champagne into flutes below.
Photo: Al Zayed
The performers swooped down on silk swaths to drop the fruits into guests' mouths.
Photo: Al Zayed
Another classic Redmoon contraption, the Wine Bike, roved around the event space. A server perched on the bike's high seat poured wine from a bottle by using a crank; guests held out their glasses to collect the stream.
Photo: Al Zayed
A central highboy table held a glowing punch fountain, which servers ladled into plastic cups.
Photo: Al Zayed
In what would be typical only at a Redmoon event, a performer dressed as Marie Antoinette circulated with a dessert table strapped around her waist. The tablecloth—also part of her dress—was strewn with rose petals.
Photo: Al Zayed
Miniature skillets of Yukon gold hash brown potatoes, sunny-side-up quail eggs, and crispy bacon with house-made sun-dried tomato ketchup, by L-Eat Catering in Toronto
Photo: Emma Mcintyre for BizBash
Roasted pork belly Reubens with local ale mustard and pickled vegetables on pretzel bread, by Santa Barbara Catering in Phoenix
Photo: Jackie Alpers for BizBash
Sirloin sliders with strawberry milkshakes, by Elegant Affairs Off-Premise Catering & Event Design in New York
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Korean-style chicken wings with scallions, fried shallots, garlic flowers, and chive flowers, by Wolfgang Puck Catering in Los Angeles
Photo: Bridget Kenny for BizBash
Crackle caramel corn clusters; homemade Twix bars with salted dulce de leche; and salted caramel brittle with toffee, toasted pistachios, and dark chocolate shavings, by Santa Barbara Catering in Phoenix
Photo: Jackie Alpers for BizBash
Chocolate-dipped toasted marshmallows with graham cracker dust and chocolate-filled pipettes, by Elegant Affairs Off-Premise Catering & Event Design in New York
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
French toast sticks with bourbon-infused maple syrup and blueberry thyme jam, by L-Eat Catering in Toronto
Photo: Emma Mcintyre for BizBash
Vegetarian paneer Fire Ball naan pocket with kimchi vegetable slaw, pickled onions, red chili, cucumbers, and pickled carrots, by Entertaining Company in Chicago
Photo: Mark Ballogg for BizBash
Miniature biscuits filled with house-made sausage gravy, by Santa Barbara Catering in Phoenix
Photo: Jackie Alpers for BizBash
Sushi pizza with hamachi tartare, Cara Cara oranges, pickled ginger, scallions, cilantro, tobiko, watermelon radish, and yuzu sriracha aioli on a crispy rice cake, by Wolfgang Puck Catering in Los Angeles
Photo: Bridget Kenny for BizBash
Sautéed Thai chicken over sesame noodles in micro takeout boxes, by Elegant Affairs Off-Premise Catering & Event Design in New York
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Individual-size poutine pizza in a corrugated cardboard box with potatoes, cheese curds, gravy, and pulled pork, by Entertaining Company in Chicago
Photo: Mark Ballogg for BizBash
Puck muffin with maple-glazed pork, tomato jam, sorrel, and a sunny-side-up egg, by Wolfgang Puck Catering in Los Angeles
Photo: Bridget Kenny for BizBash
Bagel bites with shaved wild boar prosciutto, red-eye aioli, and everything bagel crumbs, by L-Eat Catering in Toronto
Photo: Emma Mcintyre for BizBash
For a corporate party held last year in the Washington area, Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events worked with Occasions Caterers to design several made-to-order food stations, including one that let guests customize champagne cocktails. Garnish options included herbs, fruit, house-made syrups, and flavored sugar cubes.
Photo: Geoff Chesman/Imagelink Photography
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.
Photo: Rodney Bailey
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.
Photo: Courtesy of Great Performances
For an event in April, Scoozi Events NYC designed a “foraged” custom cocktail bar that allowed guests to pick garden-fresh herbs, fruits, and veggies for bartenders to add to their drinks.
Photo: Courtesy of Scoozi
Wolfgang Puck Catering offers a Âpoutine station that lets guests top individual plates of French fries with beef or vegetarian gravy and mozzarella or cheddar cheese curds, plus a variety of other toppings including brisket, ham, or duck confit.
Photo: Bridget Kenny for BizBash
At the Museum of Science & Industry’s Black Creativity gala in Chicago in January, Sodexo provided a table that held hanging terrariums of flavored salts including red chili, pink Hawaiian, smoke, and rosemary. Also on hand: grinders holding pink, green, white, and black pepper, as well as a variety of flavored butters such as lavender honey and garlic.
Photo: J. B. Spector/Museum of Science+Industry
Health-conscious guests will be happy to pop a few of New York-based Elegant Affairs’ gluten-free lemon-scented hummus and zucchini roulades into their mouths while lounging poolside.
Photo: Courtesy of Elegant Affairs Catering & Event Design
This summer, the Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles is serving cocktails made with freshly picked herbs and fruits from its rooftop garden. The drinks include the Kalamansi Lemonade, made with vodka, lemon puree honey-lemongrass syrup, Sprite, and lemon juice; the Rhubarb Shiso Fizz, made with Ketel Oranje, rhubarb simple syrup, and shiso leaves; and the Pinarita, made with pineapple tequila, Luxardo Triplum, lime juice, simple syrup, and Thai basil.
Photo: Mi & Mo Photography
Canned cocktails are trending in the world of mixology right now. At the Manhattan Cocktail Classic gala in May, Campari served up canned Negronis, made with gin, sweet vermouth, and the Italian aperitif. Red-and-white-striped straws added a summery touch.
Photo: Virginia Rollison
A warm-weather take on the food-and-drink pairings trend: one-bite paella skewers served with red and white sangria, by KG Fare Catering & Events in New York.
Photo: Courtesy of KG Fare Catering & Events
Like strawberry shortcake in a glass: the Red Velvet Shortcake cocktail includes 1½ ounces of the new Zing Red Velvet vodka, two ounces of cream soda, two muddled strawberries, and a splash of lemon juice.
Photo: Courtesy of Zing Vodka
Nothing beats an ice pop when temperatures rise. At the 2013 mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival, held in March in Austin, Texas, guests beat the heat with more than 7,000 custom-flavored all-natural frozen pops from Mom & Pops.
Photo: Courtesy of MTV
Chicago’s Truffleberry Market reports recently receiving requests to create finger-friendly versions of classic desserts. The catering company's banana split cones feature strawberry mousse in a mini waffle cone dipped in dark chocolate and topped with fresh strawberries, banana chips, and shaved hazelnuts.
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
From Elegant Affairs’ clean eating menu, cilantro lime-infused crab salad cucumber cups make for a light, refreshing hors d’oeuvre.
Photo: Courtesy of Elegant Affairs Catering & Event Design
This summer, Ainsworth Park in New York will offer its take on sweet tea, made with Belvedere Lemon Tea vodka, Aperol, lemon juice, simple syrup, and iced tea, served in a summer-appropriate Mason jar.
Photo: Courtesy of Ainsworth Park
To preview its new summer menu of regional American barbecue flavors, Burger King tapped Peter Callahan to style bite-size versions of the new burgers for a tasting party at the Glasshouses in New York on May 16. The mini sandwich options included barbecue chicken salad, pulled pork, and a Carolina BBQ Whopper.
Photo: Aydin Arjomand Photography
Nothing says summer quite like fresh fish. At the Carlu’s recent 10th anniversary gala in Toronto, L-Eat Catering was in charge of the fish station. Among the offerings were individual portions of liquid-nitrogen-chilled, fennel-crusted tuna with green apples and pomegranates.
Photo: Courtesy of L-Eat Catering
L-Eat Catering also served smoked trout caviar and pickled red onion relish canapés at the Carlu anniversary gala.
Photo: Courtesy of L-Eat Catering
The Skybar at the Mondrian Los Angeles is offering a few new takes on the classic mojito, including a spicy mango mojito muddled with serrano peppers.
Photo: Courtesy of the Mondrian Los Angeles
For an upscale camp-themed affair, try KG Fare Catering & Events' mess-free take on s'mores, displayed on clothespins.
Photo: KG Fare Catering & Events
This summer, Fourty Four at Royalton in New York is featuring a garden-to-glass cocktail menu of fruit-, herb-, grain-, and veggie-based drinks. The Jackrabbit Margarita includes Tequila AviĂłn, carrot juice, agave nectar, grapefruit, and lemon, with a garnish of parsley and lime.
Photo: Courtesy of the Royalton Hotel New York
If you’re looking for easy, classic summer barbecue fare, Weber Grill Restaurant just launched Weber on Wheels, a mobile grill party offering available in Chicago and Indianapolis. Staffers grill up the company's signature meats on giant Weber Kettles, and the extensive menu options include a build-your-own burger bar.  Set up and clean up are included, and a minimum order of $500 is required. Delivery and pick-up packages are also available.
Photo: Courtesy of Weber Grill Restaurant
The Floozy, a cheekily named cocktail served at Hill & Dale, a new gastro-lounge in New York, is made with vodka, fresh lime, simple syrup, and muddled strawberries, then topped with a fresh daisy.
Photo: Courtesy of Hill & Dale
A perfect passed hors d’oeuvre for a beachside bash: Trufflebery Market’s Fish on Chips, with key lime zest and Sriracha aioli.
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
SBE’s XIV Summer Sessions parties will serve the Corzo Watermelon Margarita featuring fresh watermelon juice and Corzo tequila strained over ice with a splash of soda.
Photo: Courtesy of SBE
Maria Zoitas of Maria’s Homemade recommends adding fruit-infused ice cubes to drinks at summer parties. Just add berries, grapes, or pomegranate seeds to the water in ice cube trays, then toss the final product into champagne mixed with hibiscus syrup.
Photo: Courtesy of Westside Market NYC
Served at this year’s Great GoogaMooga festival in Brooklyn was a sophisticated tropical tipple called the Uncle Buck that included Tequila Don Julio Blanco, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, ginger syrup, and green Chartreuse.
Photo: Courtesy of Don Julio
V.I.P. guests at GoogaMooga also sipped on Quiet Storms, a mix of Bulleit bourbon, lemon juice, extra-dry vermouth, simple syrup, and ginger beer.
Photo: Courtesy of Bulleit Bourbon
For an updated take on the classic margarita, mix Cointreau orange liqueur, Tequila AviĂłn, blood orange juice, and fresh sour mix.
Photo: Courtesy of Tequila AviĂłn
Chicago restaurant Allium served a swimsuit-friendly 500-calorie lunch at a recent beachwear fashion show at the Four Seasons Chicago. The three-course menu included beet salad with Greek yogurt, fennel, and mache lettuce; wild Alaskan halibut with smoked fingerlings, pickled ramp bulbs, asparagus, and English peas (pictured); and 99 percent pure chocolate sorbet.
Photo: Jenny Berg/BizBash
Created by Otis Florence of Pouring Ribbons in New York City, the From the Vine cocktail includes the new Skyy Infusions Moscato Grape, Cynar, lime juice, simple syrup, and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, garnished with basil leaves and grapes.
Photo: Courtesy of Skyy
A lighter summery take on beef stroganoff from Truffleberry Market in Chicago includes seared Meyer lemon zest gnocchi.
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
Keep guests alert at a late-night bash with this boozy take on iced coffee: mix one part AviĂłn Espresso, one part espresso, and one part soda water, then garnish with espresso beans.
Photo: Courtesy of AviĂłn
For a recent meeting, the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek put together stations themed around local fare from the various areas of Florida. The north Florida station included May Port shrimp and scallop ceviche marinated in Florida citrus.
Photo: Courtesy of the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
The south Florida station at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek meeting included spiny lobster-and-blue-crab cocktails.
Photo: Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
A Gummy Bear Carving Station
At the opening party for the Canadian Special Event Show last March, Bucket & Whisk created a carving station with five-pound gummy bears instead of beef. In flavors such as “Rare Cherry” and “Well Done Cola,” the giant candies had cheeky signage that advertised features such as “organic-raised” and “hormone-free.” The event was produced by the Idea Hunter.
Photo: Topfive Design
A Swanky Lemonade Stand
Over the summer, Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa in California launched the Lemon Break. The catering package includes a lemonade display replete with lemon tarts, lemon sorbet, lemon candies, lemon confit, lemon drops, lemon shooters, lemon chiffon cakes, lemon crème brûlées, and more thematic treats.
Photo: Courtesy of New Port Beach Marriott
Hot Chocolate in Pipettes
At the Chicago AIDS Foundation's World of Chocolate event in 2009, the Signature Room at the 95th served vanilla-and-cinnamon-spiced hot chocolate in pipettes.
Photo: Mireya Acierto for BizBash
Brûléed Banana Pudding
At the James Beard Awards in New York in 2007, Allison Vines-Rushing served banana pudding brûlée with cat's tongue cookies in mini glass jelly jars.
Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash
Gruesome Cupcakes
To promote the final season of Dexter last year, Magnolia Bakery concocted a gory treat to honor the show's namesake sociopath. The Killer Cupcake topped red velvet cake with spattered caramel "blood" and "glass" shards made out of sugar.
Photo: Courtesy of Magnolia Cupcakes
Mojito-Flavored Lollipops
At a Lollapalooza party in 2009, Limelight's passed desserts included mojito-flavored lollipops and an array of glittery confections dubbed "Bedazzled Bonbons."
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Fancy Grilled Cheese
Boston’s Roxy’s Grilled Cheese can park its truck outside meeting venues. Or, the staff can set up an in-office build-your-own grilled cheese bar with toppings that go beyond childhood basics like sliced tomatoes—think roasted chorizo, applewood bacon, and guacamole.
Photo: Zac Wolf Photography
Mess-Free S'mores
For a camp-theme event last year, KG Fare Catering & Events offered a mess-free take on s'mores by displaying the gooey treats on clothespins.
Photo: Courtesy of KG Fare Catering & Events
Customized Macaroni and Cheese
At Stella McCartney's Electricity-Free Carnival in New York in 2012, a mac 'n' cheese station was set up as a two-part offering: guests could either select a mini serving on a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel-shaped stand, or opt for a full cup that could be customized with toppings such as veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
Photo: Jim Shi
High-End Pop-Tarts
At Washingtonian magazine's AT&T's Best of Washington party in 2012, Amaryllis designed the space to evoke the ambiance of a vintage ice cream parlor. Ted's Bulletin offered samples of its homemade Pop-Tarts—cinnamon and brown sugar, strawberry, and chocolate—that the company displayed in tall glasses filled with each flavor's ingredients.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Boozy Whoopie Pies
At the Washingtonian event, PatrĂłn served boozy desserts like whoopie pies and cake pops at its customized bar.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Organic Cotton Candy
Spin-Spun (which was formerly called "Spun") is a Chicago catering firm that specializes in cotton candy. Using organic sugar and either organic or natural flavors, founder Seth Bankier spins the treat in nearly 20 flavors including bacon salt, salted caramel, lemon-coconut, and truffle oil.
Photo: Courtesy of Spun
