The weather has turned delightful. You are charged with planning an outdoor corporate event and you want to make sure every little detail goes absolutely right. There are so many details to attend to, with food being a major concern.

Consult with a specialized corporate catering company like Just Corporate Catering who can help you host a successful outdoor event. Keep in mind the hot summer weather will have a dramatic effect on your food needs, so remember:

1)      Select an appropriate outdoor friendly menu, hopefully containing foods that stand up well to the heat of the day. Choosing light foods with little messy handling will go a long way toward providing an enjoyable dining experience when eating outdoors

2)      Try a couple of “tricks” for controlling unwanted guests such as leaving an open can of cat food off in a corner that will attract flies. Use of mint plants strategically placed about the serving area will help keep swarming bugs away from food. Also, put to good use Citronella candles and torches. Check to see if your outdoor caterer provides these ancillary tools for repelling annoying party crashers.

3)      Remember to provide plenty of cold beverages particularly lots of bottle water. Buckets of iced-down fruit are great crowd pleasers, too as well as cold pitchers of lemonade or iced tea.

4)      If serving wine, select a good white choice like Chardonnay or Pinot Gringo.

5)      Make sure you have on hand plenty of ice – a good rule of thumb is to have more than you need and make sure it is accessible. Consult with your chosen caterer to see if they provide unlimited ice and how and where it gets stored at your outdoor event.

6)      Do you have a rain plan? Can you move your party inside in the event a summer shower rains down on your party?

7)      It is a great idea to have shade at any outdoor event. Check with your selected caterer about umbrellas, tents, canopies and possible use of fans to keep the heat in check.

8)      Make sure you cover your bases by either providing access to indoor restrooms or check with your selected caterer about renting portable facilities. Although a great deal of corporate caterers offer event planning services incorporating everything from food to furniture, some that don’t offer recommendations for businesses that can provide services that will help make your outdoor party a huge success.

Outdoor celebrations involving food can be as formal as an afternoon cocktail party to as informal as a beachside corporate picnic. Experienced and specialized corporate catering professionals like Just Corporate Catering can assist you before the event, helping nail down all the necessary details that will keep you cool and collected when hosting an outdoor event.

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Justin Cook stirs up his recipes concerning corporate catering, event planning and other dining related topics on his Just Corporate Catering blog. Please feel free to add comments to his posts and contact Justin with questions or other communication at justin.cook@justcorporatecatering.com