I’ve been asked on many occasions, who gets the catering leftovers if there are any. Whenever possible try not to have any. Now I know this may seem impossible to do, but it is not so unusual to have none if planned well and the attendance comes close to the confirmed invites. If there are leftovers however, the first thing you want to do is to offer it to the person who paid for it. Makes sense, right? Most corporate events are not paid for by an individual however, but there is always someone in charge, or someone who seems to take charge. Make the offer to that person. Inform him or her that if anyone wants to, they can take food home with them.

There are usually plenty of people at a party or gathering who would be glad to take food home. Most of the time there are plenty of disposable containers and foil available. It may not always be practical, however. If the event is being held at a place of work or training facility for a meeting or seminar of some kind, it may not be as feasible. You may find, though, that there are people who can be very creative when it comes to free food. I have seen guests take food home in many different and creative ways. It saves them money and sometimes, even more important, it enables them to skip cooking a meal for a day or two. Even if it is just lunch for a couple of days.

If there are no takers however, and this will happen from time to time, a caterer may make the same offer to their employees. It can be one of the fringe benefits of working in the food service industry for a company like Just Corporate Catering . Food service workers rarely go hungry. Those with the company for some time may grow tired of the food after a while, though.

Last but not least if this seems to happen often and there is enough food to make it worthwhile, it can be offered to a charity such as a soup kitchen or a food pantry. It is always better to give food away than throw food away and there are plenty of people who would be grateful for any food donation. Be sure to check with local municipalities, though, as there are sometimes food guidelines to follow such as temperature during storage and transportation, which is actually a good thing to be careful of regardless the laws anyway.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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

Throwing a great retirement party is a wonderful way to show appreciation for all of your employees, not just the retiree. Sure it is to show appreciation to the individual for all the years of service he or she put into the company but it also will show your current employees that they will be shown the same when the time comes for them too . As always plan well in advance.

Some tips to make sure it is a success is to include the family of the one to retire. If the retiree has a spouse and or children, have someone give them a call. Gather as much personal info as possible. Get pictures to display. Ask employees if there are any work pictures of the individual to put on display as well. Find out what kind of hobbies they like and include that too. A collage of pictures always draws a crowd. If the employee has over the years been given any awards, have them on display also. Invite family members to attend the party and if at all possible keep this a surprise. As many as you think would be feasible but just close family. Find out what kind of food and drink the individual prefers. Tailor it as close to the retirees personality as possible.

The entertainment should also be suited to the retirees likes. Having an emcee or master of ceremonies is the best way to control the flow. Make sure to provide as much personal information as possible to him or her to give it a personal touch. Have a band or just a DJ.Either way make sure to inquire about their musical preferences.   If the budget will allow it, hire a professional entertainment company. They have experience in these types of events and it may be well worth it.  Depending on the size of your company it could be held in a hall or if an intimate setting is more to your liking, find out if the retiree has a favorite place and if it would be able to handle a party the size of which you are planning. If not practical than a hall would be a better idea.  If people want to do a lot of dancing than a hall is probably the better choice.

Weather a sit down meal or a buffet style meal is planned  , again ask family members the retirees likes and dislikes  , always allow for enough time to show your appreciation . Allow time for family and friends to reminisce about old times. Have people take turns saying a few words about the guest of honor. A cake is always a nice touch towards the end of the party.

The bottom line again is to try to make the party as personal as possible which in turn will really show your appreciation to the employee, his family and fellow employees.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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

When a catered event is a meeting or training it is most important to keep the food simple because timing is so important. At these types of events there will be fewer choices than at a party. At some of these events there may be only one choice. The purpose of serving lunch ,(  it usually is lunch) is because at these types of meetings it is very important  to keep everyone close by and is also a reward for having to attend a mandatory meeting in the first place. Experience has proven that getting everyone back together in a timely manner after a break can be very difficult.  Providing food to the attendees is the best way to keep the momentum flowing. This is important, especially at a training session where it is vitally important to stick to a schedule.

If before the meeting is to begin you want to have a continental breakfast available it is sometimes a good idea as there are many employees who never give themselves enough time for a good breakfast. , which could prove to be a distraction .Having bagels, rolls, danish and such, along with hot and cold beverages will suffice at any event.

These types of events are handled in a much different way than corporate parties. There will always be a schedule to follow and you don’t want food to interrupt the flow but to be a part of the flow. So being prompt is important and a cold lunch would be the best way to accomplish this. Food can be prepared in advance and ready to serve for hours.  Provide platters of cold items for employees to serve themselves. Cold cuts and salads would be a great choice. Have hot and cold beverages available throughout the day.

If a hot item is preferred, again keep it simple.As mentioned before in previous blogs Serving a chicken dish with a side dish or two will be the most pleasing to the most people if hot food is being served. A vegetable and a starch item will also provide an alternative to people who either don’t like or won’t eat chicken or a second dish could be available, hot or cold but remember to keep it simple.

his is a business meeting not a party. You will want your employees to be fed well enough so that they are not hungry and distracted but avoid making the food itself a distraction.  If handled well you will find it is a lot easier to conduct a meeting if some of the employees basic needs are met, allowing them to concentrate more on business than on anything else. Stick to a schedule and keep it simple. Timing is always important. You want to ensure that all of the work can be accomplished in the time allotted.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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

Planning is the first and most important element to a great event. How much food will be needed will depend on how many people attend. Try t o get an accurate count, or as accurate as possible in advance. It’s a good idea to have a variety of food to choose from taking into consideration peoples likes, dislikes and dietary needs such as diabetes and certain allergies.

Consult with the caterer. Just Corporate Catering will help with all of the decisions to be made. Do you want a buffet style dinner or a sit down meal with a wait staff? As a successful caterer, we have the experience and know how to assist you.

Where to hold your event is vitally important. Try to have your event in a pleasant, relaxing and attractive atmosphere that’s not confining so people can move about freely and comfortably. The room needs to be large enough to accommodate both the guests and the staff. You not only want the guests to have enough room but you also want the wait staff to have plenty of room to serve. The venue also should be in a convenient enough location. Try to avoid having the event too far from work or people’s homes. This will make it easier for people to be on time and time is important especially if there is an itinerary to follow.

Make sure to plan everything well in advance. Although times are tough right now there needs to be enough time to add to or subtract from the number of people who will be attending. You may want to change menu choices, or there may be a need to change any number of other things. You may want to have entertainment and a lot of acts book well in advance also. Many catering facilities book rooms not only months but years in advance and, unless you have plenty of good places to choose from. the place you want for your event may be booked on the date that you want .

You also will have to sign a written agreement .This is something that you also want to do to get confirmation. A deposit is almost always required by halls, entertainment companies and caterers, which may or may not be refundable up to a certain date, so booking in advance is again very important.  Have a meeting to plan the event. A team may be needed to put together a big event. No one person should have to plan an event all alone. Always enlist the help of others and get updates from them.

If entertainment is going to be a part of the event, even if it’s just piped in music that will have to be arranged as well. Mixing business with pleasure can be a good thing. By not making it all about work or play, you will be able to get some work done and have a good time as well. So, if it’s a sales meeting or some other kind of business event employees will be less stressed and resentful than if it were just a business meeting.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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

This question has been posed to me many times and my answer is always the same. Why choose just one? Why not offer all three. In my opinion it is always a disappointment when what is being offered doesn’t appeal to me. I happen to like chicken, beef and fish so I’m pretty easy to please. I could be in the mood for one or the other, depending on the day of the week, what I’ve eaten recently and just what I’m in the mood for. Not everybody is so easy to please however, and this could be a huge problem at a catered event. There is nothing worse than sitting at a table where half of the people are complaining about the food. Maybe I’m a little sensitive because I am in the food service business, but this is why I write this blog.

In my opinion, offering only one kind of food is just being lazy. As a professional, I always will go to the extreme to please my clients, and offering all three choices is just as simple as offering just one or two choices. I can see no other advantage to choosing just one item other than that it might be easier to accomplish. Having said that, there are some differences as to prep, cooking, and transporting.

So if the question were posed in a different way, such as which is easiest to do, than there are a lot different answers. The question also may be which is the most popular item. I would say overall, chicken is the most popular item and is probably the easiest to find the most recipes from which to choose. Chicken is by far the least expensive raw ingredient. Just off the top of your head, I’d be willing to bet you could think of many more chicken creations than beef or fish. It also is easiest to cook, prepare and transport after cooking. More people eat chicken than either beef or fish. You will often hear people who claim not to eat beef and many people don’t like fish, but almost everyone I know eats chicken. Some people eat chicken as the only meat consumed due to health reasons. It contains less fat and is considered a healthier choice than beef as long as it I cooked to the proper internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

As for beef, it may be the more macho choice; what man doesn’t like a good steak. But as far as catering goes, a beef item is usually something braised, baked or stewed. Otherwise it would be quite tough. There are many beef items that can be served at catered events. The good thing about these kinds of beef dishes is that they can be prepared with inexpensive cuts of meat unless you serve something like prime rib. There are many people nowadays who don’t eat beef, so restricting yourself to this one choice would leave a lot of people with no entrée.

As for the last choice, which is fish, there are still quite a few people who don’t like fish and some who only like shellfish. So, as I mentioned previously, if I had to choose only one item it would always be a chicken dish. But if I were to serve fish at a catered event, it would almost always be a stuffed version or a breaded version – as fish is almost impossible to cook thoroughly without having it dry out during transportation. Stuffed versions of either sole, flounder or tilapia are a good choice.

So whenever possible, give people a choice or go with almost any kind of chicken dish to satisfy most of the people in attendance.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

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

I’m often asked what kind of parties could we have for our company ? Even though an employee party is a privilege, having the same kind of party year after year can grow tiresome and quite boring. Which is why the question was posed in the first place. My answer is Theme Parties. One company I’m familiar with throws a party every year and every year tries to have a different theme. There are some catering companies – like Just Corporate Catering – that can help plan your themed party with you.

One of the most popular is the gambling theme. Even people who may not enjoy gambling, you may find, will have a great time. All who attend are given equal amounts of play money. Prizes could be awarded to the person with the most money at a particular time, usually later in the party but before everyone heads home, or all employees could purchase chances with the play money so that someone who doesn’t even do well at gambling can still have a chance at winning a prize. Employees love prizes. There are many entertainment companies out there today who offer this kind of service.

Another great theme is American Idol. Or (your company name goes here) Got Talent.

Bring in a karaoke machine and you’ll be surprised how much fun it can be. Encourage all kinds of talent. Dance, comedy, singing and you may even find a magician in your midst. I attended one such party and it was a tremendous success and there were some really talented people as well. Everyone who attended had so much fun that they are begging the company to do it again. You may even find a star right there in your own company.

A movie party theme is also a lot of fun. People can dress as their favorite characters. Clips from great movies could be incorporated and posters could be hung. A great game to play at this type of party is Trivial Pursuit to test people’s knowledge of all things Hollywood. Playing movie soundtracks throughout can be great fun.

A sport theme party is a good kind of party to throw. You may find that people who don’t even like sports can become very involved at this kind of party when competition is included ,and many kinds of competition could be incorporated into a sports theme party .

If held outdoors even more kinds of events could be included. Teams can be formed and an Olympic style competition could take place with people who aren’t athletically inclined can root for their favorite team.

There are many other themes to think of including different kinds of costume parties such as a presidential theme, a Hawaiian theme or a Halloween party. Use your imagination to come up with even more. You will find that employees , after attending a great party will be more than willing to come up with some ideas of their own. These kinds of parties could boost the morale of any company and your employees will show their gratitude, which of course, is the objective.

Food choices could be limited to casual dining – appetizer or sandwich platters – on-the-go styled food that fits in well with the theme you’ve chosen.

———————————————————————————————————— ———————

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

A reader of the blog asked about the advantages of an outdoor corporate gathering since it is summer across the land. Outdoor functions require different planning guides but can provide many advantages to your guests’ experience as well as your company’s budget. Companies with a great deal of experience planning and executing outdoor functions like Just Corporate Catering can help make an outdoor event memorable.

Having an outdoor party may save your company hundreds if not thousands of dollars. If held at a county or state park the cost, could be next to nothing if not entirely free altogether. In some instances, all that is required is to reserve the space, and at some there may be a small fee and a permit may be required depending on the size of the gathering. Renting a hall or a room at a facility can be very costly. There are other advantages to having your party outdoors.

One of the advantages is that it can be fun, which sometimes makes it easier to slip in some work while people are enjoying themselves and employees do, (in spite of what they may say) appreciate a good time. There are many activities that can be done in the great outdoors that can’t be done in a facility, such as softball, volleyball and other competitive sports.

The disadvantages can of course be the weather, getting  all of the supplies to and from the park, and getting people to pay attention to serious business can be difficult at such events as well. These problems can be avoided , or at least minimized with tents, vans and if at all possible, leave the work and serious discussions out till a later time.

The food choices at an outdoor event can range from traditional BBQ , which can be prepared by the caterer on site, to almost any kind of menu which can be brought to the location and served. Another thing to consider is refrigeration. If the size of your party warrants it, rather than have multiple coolers with tons of ice , a generator and refrigerator could be a good choice.

So whether it’s a reward for your employees or an opportunity to mix business with pleasure, it may be a good decision to have an outdoor event.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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

It is important when hiring a corporate catering service like Just Corporate Catering to have a contract that is signed by both parties before catering a business event.  A contract not only offers a client legal protection but also is a good way to avoid confusion and confrontation so you know exactly what you are getting for your money.  The following are some of the points and clauses that you might consider including look for in a contract with your caterer although you should consult with a lawyer before coming up with a final agreement.

1) The contract should set out the responsibilities of each party, the caterer and the client.  A specific person should be appointed as a representative of the client and all business dealings and communication should go through them.

2) The date, time and location of the event should be specified and details should be given about any right that the client has to change these key details.

3) The contract should set out exactly what the caterer will provide in terms of the menu, food preparation and delivery.  It should be clear if the caterer is using an on-site kitchen or preparing food off-site and exactly which rooms they will be permitted to use.  It should also be exactly clear as to which party will be providing cooking equipment, serving equipment, utensils, decorations, furniture and other items for the event.  The party responsible for cleaning up afterwards should also be specified.

4) The caterer will include some clauses waiving liability for certain situations such as when guests get drunk and inflict damages on property or other guests.   A typical clause will state that the client compensates the caterer for any damages to equipment caused by guests. Check with your lawyer or insurance agent about the liability coverage at the site where the event is held.

5) Make sure the contract includes language detailing the caterer carries the necessary liability insurance as well as coverage for all employees working. Many caterers use temporary wait personnel who are not full time employees. These workers need to be covered under a blank coverage policy held by the caterer, not the client.

6) Make sure the contract contains detailed information pertaining to a deposit to reserve the caterer’s services and sets out details of the deposit in your contract.  Know under what situations the deposit is refundable and what your obligations are if you want to cancel the catering service.  You should have some flexibility in terms of changing guest numbers but may be asked to confirm final numbers at least three or four days before so the caterer has time to order stock and prepare.

7) Make sure payment terms are set and understandable. The price should be set out clearly and clearly states which party is responsible for paying the relevant taxes.

8)If an outdoor event, make sure the contract is clear about what options are available in case that it rains.

9) Lastly, the contract should specify how any disputes regarding the contract are to be handled.

These are just a few ideas that you may consider when contracting with a catering business.  A good agreement will let both parties know where they stand while still offering some flexibility to make changes if necessary.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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

I recently received an email from a reader who wanted to know why providing food at a business meeting is a good idea. This reader offered the opinion that food available at a business meeting was a distraction and its presence disrupted the normal flow of information from speakers to attendees. Additionally, the reader contended that when attending recent business meetings with a large audience, several people who, once fully fed and satisfied, proceeded to fall asleep. The reader suggests that introduction of food at a business meeting is not a good motivator but an unwanted disruption – at least from the business meeting presenter’s point of view.

First, let me state that this reader does have some valid points. However, dismissing food at business meetings outright is not valid whatsoever. Planning a menu for a business meeting is the first place where your choices will dictate both the physical and mental responses meeting attendees will experience. There are some foods that when ingested influence an immediate reaction, sometimes a “pick-me-up” type of response due to taste and texture, There are some foods that when digested produce an overwhelming influence toward relaxation. However, foods and drinks selected can provide great motivation when carefully chosen.

Your attention to planning your food choices reflects the depth of caring applied to your business dealings that guests to your meeting – employees or otherwise – richly deserve. There are many factors to consider when selecting food choices for your business meeting that can range from a person’s nutritional restrictions to possible allergies and even religious guided needs. Keep in mind, also, certain foods can relax people and, indeed, help to induce sleep. Professional caterers with a great deal of corporate event experience like Just Corporate Catering will be glad to advise you in your food planning process for your next business function.

Yes, your food choices and presentation go a long way to reflect a great deal about your professionalism and just how much attention you pay to detail. People always form quick opinions about experiences at hand – an right at that moment. The overall impression your business meeting guests receive will be greatly affected by the food choices and presentation. Your menu selection will speak volumes about you.

Here’s a simple suggestion – with acronym – I more than likely borrowed from somewhere, probably a business meeting I attended about catering ideas”

Makes sure your business food is good EATS!

• Ease of consumption -Avoid messy and difficult-to-eat foods
• Audience- Be sensitive to your guests and their special needs
• Timing – When you serve can dictate what you serve
• Selection- Make sure you offer your guests a variety of menu options

I’ll suggest what food choices are best when following the above in a future blog entry.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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

Many business meetings sometimes seem to get lost when people spend a great deal of time participating in the food offered. Many seminars conducted while people sit to eat a full meal lose focus when forks and knives are wielded by hungry attendees. Meals, generally speaking, are great get-togethers for social exchange where people talk with one another in a relaxed environment. Food can do that. Help relax people, allowing them to become comfortable, at ease and not necessarily focused on any subject that might demand more detailed concentration.

Providing finger food appetizers allows business meeting sponsors an opportunity to allow attendees to snack a bit, adding a bit of that warming comfort that only food can provide. Attendees can grab a few appetizer-type items on a smaller plate along with a drink, take a seat, whip out a pen and notepaper and can concentrate upon the speaker, soaking up whatever information is presented while snacking without having to constantly switch focus from eating to listening.

This doesn’t mean disregard meals as part of your corporate business function. Not at all. However, consider a less formal food presentation like an assortment of appetizer trays where attendees can experience scrumptious samplings in a speedy fashion that allows the seminar or meeting to stay on task. Corporate caterers like Just Corporate Catering offer food serving solutions that can fit any company need to stay focused to the business at hand while providing the entertaining warmth of satisfying food. Appetizer trays can be prepared with hot or cold items including a variety of popular fruits that your visitors and guests will absolutely enjoy while listening to your business message.

———————————————————————————————————————

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