Organizing a successful company team function involves many elements, with food often being a central component. To ensure your event runs smoothly and leaves a lasting impression, we spoke with Penny Rumming, the founder of The Posh Cheeseboard Co., who shared her valuable insights and practical tips with us.
Meet the Expert
Penny’s journey to specializing in event catering is inspiring. With a background in running a spa and working for WestJet, she pivoted to catering during the pandemic. Starting with small family-sized boxes, her business quickly expanded to a commercial kitchen setup, catering to corporate events and more. Today, Penny operates a London Ontario retail storefront and two commercial kitchens, offering a wide range of catering services. She knows business lunch and event catering!
So here are Penny’s top tips to help your next organization’s gathering run smoothly, and safely and get stellar reviews.
9 Key Tips for Planning a Menu
When planning a menu for a company event, dietary accommodations are paramount. It’s crucial to consider dietary restrictions, timing, and portion sizes to ensure everyone is satisfied.
1 – Popular Food Options
Cheeseboards are a hit at corporate events, thanks to their variety. A well-curated cheeseboard can include a mix of cheeses, cured meats, fruits, vegetables, dips, pickled items, crackers, and baguette slices, catering to diverse palates.
2 – Ensuring Food Safety and Hygiene
Food safety is non-negotiable. Providing serving utensils, using ice sheets to keep items chilled, and advising not to leave food out for more than a couple of hours are essential practices. This ensures the food remains safe to consume throughout the event.
3 – Managing Food Quantities
To avoid wastage, consider serving sizes based on not only the number of people, but also the event’s duration and type. Remember to bring food storage containers for leftovers, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
4 – Presentation Tips
Presentation plays a vital role in food appeal! Using greenery, food-safe edible florals, and fresh herbs like rosemary can elevate the visual appeal of the spread, making it more inviting.
5 – Memorable Catering Experiences
A standout event for Penny was catering for a Stanley Cup celebration, where they incorporated custom logo cookies and chocolate Stanley Cups. Customizing boards and tables to match the event theme adds a personal touch that guests will remember.
6 – Budget-Friendly Catering Ideas
For budget-conscious events, a dip and dipper board is an excellent choice. Offering a variety of dips with assorted dippers like vegetables, chips, and pretzels is filling, cost-effective, and caters to most dietary needs.
7 – Balancing Healthy Options with Treats
A balanced menu with healthy options alongside indulgent treats ensures everyone finds something they enjoy. Including sweet treats for sugar lovers while maintaining a variety of healthy choices keeps all attendees happy.
8 – Keeping Food Fresh
Using ice sheets under trays and swapping smaller trays from refrigeration during long events keeps the food fresh and enjoyable.
9 – Creative Beverage Ideas
Offering a signature drink along with basic options and plenty of water, including flavoured sparkling water, is a great idea. A coffee bar with various flavours, mix-ins, and toppings can also be a fun addition.
By considering these tips from Penny and The Posh Cheeseboard Co., your company team function is sure to be a culinary success, leaving your colleagues impressed and satisfied. Consider reaching out to Penny for your London Ontario business lunch and catering events.
Wishing you amazing company events!
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