Finding a Caterer at the last minute may be the last situation you would like to be in. If your caterer has suddenly cancelled on you, or you have left planning till the last minute; here are a few tips to keep you organized.
Stressing out and getting overwhelmed may be the first thing to come to your mind. It can be a tricky situation with an upcoming event or wedding, and your caterer calls you last minute to cancel. For whatever reason they cancel, your caterer may feel as uncomfortable as you.
Isaac's Catering was designed to allow internet searches an opportunity to find many catering options in the one location. You can select the type of catering required and the location where your function will be held.
A large number of caterers may be listed; however it is best to do a quick search to find menus and pricing to suit. This will narrow down a list of names and numbers to a general idea that you are comfortable with. Phone and/or email a few catering companies explaining your situation.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Handy Info for a Catering Company
Once you have contacted your preferred catering company, they will generally supply you with a Catering Contract for you to fill in. This should include their License and Council Permit information and contact details
The contract should also include information on general information and policies, payments including initial deposit and when the balance is required, when final guest numbers are required and information on cancellations.
It is important to note any details on payments, as this will help you plan in advance for payment of the balance and when this will be required.
When booking your caterer, do provide specific information on the venue and the facilities that will be available. While most professional catering companies will provide all their own cooking equipment, others will prefer to use your kitchen and cooking facilities.
Minimum guest numbers are also important when booking a catering company. While larger catering companies may have plenty of staff, equipment and vehicles, smaller catering companies may only accept one function per day. Minimum guest numbers are provided to ensure any pricing and menu information is accurately quoted for your function. This also prevents clients over estimating on guest numbers, or booking a function on Invitation Numbers rather than an approximate final number. Around 10-15% of guests that are invited may not be able to attend due to location and work commitments.
The contract should also include information on general information and policies, payments including initial deposit and when the balance is required, when final guest numbers are required and information on cancellations.
It is important to note any details on payments, as this will help you plan in advance for payment of the balance and when this will be required.
When booking your caterer, do provide specific information on the venue and the facilities that will be available. While most professional catering companies will provide all their own cooking equipment, others will prefer to use your kitchen and cooking facilities.
Minimum guest numbers are also important when booking a catering company. While larger catering companies may have plenty of staff, equipment and vehicles, smaller catering companies may only accept one function per day. Minimum guest numbers are provided to ensure any pricing and menu information is accurately quoted for your function. This also prevents clients over estimating on guest numbers, or booking a function on Invitation Numbers rather than an approximate final number. Around 10-15% of guests that are invited may not be able to attend due to location and work commitments.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Make Your Party One to Remember
A party these days can mean so many things: a simple social gathering to a big celebration. Either way a party is supposed to be fun. If you are having a party at home, here are a few tips to ensure your party is a great success and to save you having to worry about cleaning up HEAPS of mess the next day.
If you are having a small social gathering, space should not be a problem. With larger parties including Birthdays with around 100 guests, you may need to clear some furniture from your backyard and inside the house to ensure there is plenty of room.
People love to mingle, chat with different people and not worry about any of the normal daily issues. Given this people let their hair down, have a few or a lot of drinks and really start to enjoy the party.
If the party is at your house and you plan to have a big night yourself, it is a great idea to have someone sober to keep everything in control. From washing any glasses, to simply being there to help anyone will really make a big difference.
Trash Cans are another very important part to ensure a party runs smoothly. Bottles scattered around can easily lead to broken glass and possible unnecessary damage to someone or something. When bins are easily seen and readily available your guests will use these and keep the area manageable.
A table designated to cups, drinks and water is also a great idea. This allows people to keep coming back to one place that can easily be kept organized, do ensure there is plenty of space for people walking past also.
Food: guests that have been drinking can get extremely hungry or drunk if they don't have something to eat for dinner. If you are having an evening party a few finger foods is a great way to start. With large guest numbers, it is a great idea to hire a professional catering company to provide a beautiful buffet dinner. This will ensure guests have plenty to eat, and don't become to rowdy to quickly. A professional will look after the cooking, clean away after dinner and sometimes leave any food remaining for midnight munchies.
Having someone to look after the night will also ensure that you aren't constantly in the kitchen making food and can really enjoy spending time with your friends.
If you are having a small social gathering, space should not be a problem. With larger parties including Birthdays with around 100 guests, you may need to clear some furniture from your backyard and inside the house to ensure there is plenty of room.
People love to mingle, chat with different people and not worry about any of the normal daily issues. Given this people let their hair down, have a few or a lot of drinks and really start to enjoy the party.
If the party is at your house and you plan to have a big night yourself, it is a great idea to have someone sober to keep everything in control. From washing any glasses, to simply being there to help anyone will really make a big difference.
Trash Cans are another very important part to ensure a party runs smoothly. Bottles scattered around can easily lead to broken glass and possible unnecessary damage to someone or something. When bins are easily seen and readily available your guests will use these and keep the area manageable.
A table designated to cups, drinks and water is also a great idea. This allows people to keep coming back to one place that can easily be kept organized, do ensure there is plenty of space for people walking past also.
Food: guests that have been drinking can get extremely hungry or drunk if they don't have something to eat for dinner. If you are having an evening party a few finger foods is a great way to start. With large guest numbers, it is a great idea to hire a professional catering company to provide a beautiful buffet dinner. This will ensure guests have plenty to eat, and don't become to rowdy to quickly. A professional will look after the cooking, clean away after dinner and sometimes leave any food remaining for midnight munchies.
Having someone to look after the night will also ensure that you aren't constantly in the kitchen making food and can really enjoy spending time with your friends.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Behind on Your Wedding Catering?
Most people planning their own wedding will find the intricacies a little overwhelming at the beginning. Coordinating the wedding ceremony to flow into photographs and then the reception can be quite involved.
It is very important to sit down and thoroughly think through the timings for your wedding day, as one part running late can have run on effects to the rest of your day. Allow plenty of time for each part, and let each supplier know so they can accommodate accordingly for you in advance.
A wedding ceremony can last from 15 minutes to an hour so when speaking with your Celebrant ask them how long should be left and add some time as a comfort zone. Don't plan to rush of for your photographs or straight into your dinner, as things will be delayed and you may lose precious time with your photographer or risk your dinner quality by running very late.
At weddings guests are generally quite happy to mingle and chat, and don't like to rush. Keep this in mind when planning your wedding day.
A wedding recently both the ceremony and reception were held in the same hall. Given the size restrictions guests had to be moved outside while the tables and chairs were repositioned and set. As the bride had been running traditionally late the ceremony was delayed. A good celebrant can entertain your guests, however if the ceremony takes longer than usual this may affect the time available before dinner.
Dinner was scheduled straight after the ceremony as it was an evening wedding. To my amazement dinner and the very good work of a patient chef, the wedding party was only ready for dinner an hour after the scheduled time. A great chef can see in advance any problems with schedule on arrival, and keep an eye on timings before the ceremony. This does take a lot of initiative and skill on behalf of a chef and especially a mobile caterer.
Keep in mind that things can run late, and that sometimes dinner will not. A great saying is ‘Risotto waits for no-one' and this rings true to wedding dinners. Timing is everything and while the quality may be good an hour late, it would have been perfect served on time.
It is very important to sit down and thoroughly think through the timings for your wedding day, as one part running late can have run on effects to the rest of your day. Allow plenty of time for each part, and let each supplier know so they can accommodate accordingly for you in advance.
A wedding ceremony can last from 15 minutes to an hour so when speaking with your Celebrant ask them how long should be left and add some time as a comfort zone. Don't plan to rush of for your photographs or straight into your dinner, as things will be delayed and you may lose precious time with your photographer or risk your dinner quality by running very late.
At weddings guests are generally quite happy to mingle and chat, and don't like to rush. Keep this in mind when planning your wedding day.
A wedding recently both the ceremony and reception were held in the same hall. Given the size restrictions guests had to be moved outside while the tables and chairs were repositioned and set. As the bride had been running traditionally late the ceremony was delayed. A good celebrant can entertain your guests, however if the ceremony takes longer than usual this may affect the time available before dinner.
Dinner was scheduled straight after the ceremony as it was an evening wedding. To my amazement dinner and the very good work of a patient chef, the wedding party was only ready for dinner an hour after the scheduled time. A great chef can see in advance any problems with schedule on arrival, and keep an eye on timings before the ceremony. This does take a lot of initiative and skill on behalf of a chef and especially a mobile caterer.
Keep in mind that things can run late, and that sometimes dinner will not. A great saying is ‘Risotto waits for no-one' and this rings true to wedding dinners. Timing is everything and while the quality may be good an hour late, it would have been perfect served on time.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Catering at Small Birthday Parties
Birthday Parties are a great idea for any age, and as Americans we like to celebrate for most occasions. This may include a small party at home with a few friends with home catering and BYO drinks. For milestone birthdays it is a great idea to plan ahead, especially when catering for big parties or the elderly. While this may sound like common sense, if you have never hosted a party or helped coordinate a function there are many things to plan for.
Drinks can range for everyone's tastes, however a few simple inclusions including water, a fruit punch, light beers, wine and soft drink are the most popular. This allows for those drinking alcohol and those that need to drive home. Water and punch are refreshing options, especially on a hot summers day.
Everyone loves cake, and this is an important tradition when it comes to birthdays. Choosing a cake can be easy, select a flavor that everyone likes and pick the size to suit your number of guests. If children are attending, this may be their favorite part so why not allow for extra. Candles are also a great idea, but remember when you reach higher numbers these candles may become hard to blow out or leave quite a bit of smoke. Have a cake knife handy and plates/spoons for guests to eat with.
Catering is a great idea, and planning ahead can make all the difference to your party. If you are planning on cooking yourself have a few people to help walk platters around while you are preparing the next platter. When I was growing up it was very popular for the women to look after the cakes, sweets and finger foods and was a perfect time to catch up.
Don't have the time or experience to cook? Make a few inquiries with a professional catering company. Some specialize in catering for small intimate functions that can provide a wonderful array of food for you and your guests. This may save you time away from your guests, and really enjoy the party celebrations.
Drinks can range for everyone's tastes, however a few simple inclusions including water, a fruit punch, light beers, wine and soft drink are the most popular. This allows for those drinking alcohol and those that need to drive home. Water and punch are refreshing options, especially on a hot summers day.
Everyone loves cake, and this is an important tradition when it comes to birthdays. Choosing a cake can be easy, select a flavor that everyone likes and pick the size to suit your number of guests. If children are attending, this may be their favorite part so why not allow for extra. Candles are also a great idea, but remember when you reach higher numbers these candles may become hard to blow out or leave quite a bit of smoke. Have a cake knife handy and plates/spoons for guests to eat with.
Catering is a great idea, and planning ahead can make all the difference to your party. If you are planning on cooking yourself have a few people to help walk platters around while you are preparing the next platter. When I was growing up it was very popular for the women to look after the cakes, sweets and finger foods and was a perfect time to catch up.
Don't have the time or experience to cook? Make a few inquiries with a professional catering company. Some specialize in catering for small intimate functions that can provide a wonderful array of food for you and your guests. This may save you time away from your guests, and really enjoy the party celebrations.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Catering for Large Scale Private Events
Large Private Events are a special occasion as they are a great chance for us to celebrate with a large number of family and friends. These events can go for one night or a weekend to make the most of your time together.
Large functions require more planning than a normal function, typically the same preparation however on a larger more detailed scale. More numbers means larger spaces, more of everything.
When starting to plan your function it is good to determine an approximate number of people in attendance, so you can hire a venue or marquee to accommodate everyone. Venues can be hired to cover all aspects of your function or offer the possibility for you to setup and organize private catering. Marquees are great if you have a large private property for privacy.
Speak with your local party hire company as they will be able to provide tables, chairs, glass ware and bulk amounts of equipment you will require. This may range from lighting, generators to cold rooms. When planning for large numbers a cold room is an excellent idea, as this will save numerous eskies and plenty of ice. Drinks can be stored easily, along with any platters or cake for your function.
A mobile caterer is perfect for large private functions if you don't wish to use an in-house caterer. This may also save time and money as a professional caterer will take most of the planning, preparation and cleaning up as part of their responsibility. When looking for a caterer for large events it is important to confirm they have experience, necessary equipment and skill to cater for your function.
Drinks are another important consideration when planning for large events. The storage, setup and service will need to be well planned and executed to ensure a smooth and efficient service for the duration of your function. A large space for storage of glassware, cold drinks and plenty of rubbish bins to ensure mess and rubbish is kept to a minimum. A separate self service area for water and non-alcoholic punch and soft drinks is a great idea, and will keep the bar area solely for alcoholic drinks. This will allow families and children to access drinks at any time during the function.
Large functions require more planning than a normal function, typically the same preparation however on a larger more detailed scale. More numbers means larger spaces, more of everything.
When starting to plan your function it is good to determine an approximate number of people in attendance, so you can hire a venue or marquee to accommodate everyone. Venues can be hired to cover all aspects of your function or offer the possibility for you to setup and organize private catering. Marquees are great if you have a large private property for privacy.
Speak with your local party hire company as they will be able to provide tables, chairs, glass ware and bulk amounts of equipment you will require. This may range from lighting, generators to cold rooms. When planning for large numbers a cold room is an excellent idea, as this will save numerous eskies and plenty of ice. Drinks can be stored easily, along with any platters or cake for your function.
A mobile caterer is perfect for large private functions if you don't wish to use an in-house caterer. This may also save time and money as a professional caterer will take most of the planning, preparation and cleaning up as part of their responsibility. When looking for a caterer for large events it is important to confirm they have experience, necessary equipment and skill to cater for your function.
Drinks are another important consideration when planning for large events. The storage, setup and service will need to be well planned and executed to ensure a smooth and efficient service for the duration of your function. A large space for storage of glassware, cold drinks and plenty of rubbish bins to ensure mess and rubbish is kept to a minimum. A separate self service area for water and non-alcoholic punch and soft drinks is a great idea, and will keep the bar area solely for alcoholic drinks. This will allow families and children to access drinks at any time during the function.
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