Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Special Diets and Catering

As a professional caterer, it is important to understand if you will be catering for any special dietary requirements. This can include people who simply choose not to eat certain foods; however others have severe allergic reactions to certain food types.

When planning to use a professional caterer, it can be a good idea to choose a menu that offers a range of both hot and cold food options. This may sound simple, yet will generally offer a range of different ingredients. With diversity comes choice for guests. Your caterer will not change the type of catering to suit one or two people; however they may be able to provide suitable options for vegetarians, people with gluten intolerances or seafood or nut allergies.

While this may not be a big consideration for you when initially planning your menu and catering, when you receive RSVP's, guests will generally let you know in advance. This will allow you to discuss with your caterer in advance. Working with a caterer that you can easily talk with or email any details will save you time, additional money and stress. If you are planning a BBQ menu, your chef may provide individual mini quiches for vegetarians, however for large corporate events this may require larger changes to the service, planning and presentation.

Common Food Restrictions

Vegetarians: Don't eat meat

Gluten Intolerant: Allergic reaction to foods with gluten

Seafood and Nuts: Allergy that can have serious health implications

Vegans: Generally will not eat animal derived ingredients


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