Hosting or attending a business dinner may be fairly simple in your own county, but one overseas could be a different story. Unfamiliar surroundings mixed with cultural differences can lead to simple misunderstandings that can easily offend or upset, and ultimately diminish business relationships. But with a bit of homework avoiding offending your dinner guests when traveling on business needn’t be difficult.
Come and get it: 8 hot catering trends for 2015
Culinaire International’s Senior VP David Wood discusses what planners and attendees will be munching on soon.
Fight event fatigue with a boost from superfoods
Give up cookies for dark chocolate-covered strawberries? These tips, and others, can make your event one that runs on energy and clear thinking.
Back to Dallas, plus standing up for yourself
I’m thrilled that my column smacking a bit on Dallas’ private dining scene did exactly what I wanted it to do: Get people talking.
Dallas on Sunday: No lunch, no how, no way
What I’ve discovered in my years as a culinary consultant around the world is that the hospitality community in any given city can take on a particular nuance. Dallas is no exception.
Attention all exhibit managers, this one’s for you
When does it make sense to do catering in an exhibit? We have some food for thought.
The dirty business of banqueting cleanliness
Talk with the banqueting team during your planning process and share with them what you expect. All necessary cleaning must be done back of house and not on the floor.
Guarantees: The shorting and the wrong of it
Today we’re going to talk about the fine art — and I do mean the fine art — of shorting guarantees.
Attention restaurant catering managers, please listen up!
The bottom line: Restaurants, if you sell group business have a staff trained to handle the request. Most importantly, have a catering manager who will get back to the customer on a timely basis.
Jell-O, anyone? Banqueting trends and tips for 2013
Let’s talk trends. As I see it, 2013 isn’t going to be just about the food anymore. It will encompass many aspects of the entire experience.
Twitter becoming key ingredient in culinary strategy
Centerplate, the contract catering company, had a staff person dedicated to following this trade show’s Twitter hashtag in real time, so if someone tweeted a viable comment or complaint, managers could fix it right away.
6 tips for innovative banquets
Don’t confuse “innovation” with “popular.” They are two very different areas.
F&B shortfalls? You have options
I did some work for a client last month who had a nice-size food & beverage minimum to play with. Or rather I had a rather large-size F&B minimum to play with. We fed and watered the people all day long. All the guests of this high-income group enjoyed themselves very much. No one wanted […]
Please, no chocolate fountains!
Love is in the air … Valentine’s Day — Feb. 14 is here (or gone). The day we either love, or hate, or the day we would love to hate. It’s always a bit awkward for planners who have an event falling over Cupid’s holiday. Especially if your attendees are primarily men and the destination is out of town. […]
What I learned from catering to queens
I am late (again) with writing this morsel because I just got done doing the food for the Miss California USA beauty pageant. The first thing that should come to everyone’s mind is this question: What am I doing feeding girls that are participating in a beauty contest?! Those girls don’t eat. Well, my dear readers, you are […]
Executing creative catering ideas without the cost
I had a major corporation ask me to participate in an RFP for a 10,000+ person annual event. Most people would have been overwhelmed by this daunting task, but for some reason I wasn’t. I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to dig deep within and show this company what I had to say about […]
Culinary lessons learned in Las Vegas
As many of you know, I spent 10 days in October working in Vegas for four different clients. Suppliers in this town say they haven’t recovered from the recession. If you’re like me, you’d expect them to be flexible and accommodating so they leave a positive impression that encourages business, right? Nope. Here are some […]
Say ‘I do’ to these wedding planning tips
This month I want everyone to hold on to your bouquets because I am doing a … wedding! The lucky couple are getting married in Los Angeles,Calif. They are having a midday wedding/lunch and a party that evening at the groom’s second home, so this has turned into a destination wedding. So what I have learned from planning this event (other […]
Meet, eat, achieve!
Planning a meeting or event in a restaurant has several advantages, especially for small to mid-size groups.
Healthy menu options
As we are happily heading into spring the one thought that goes through people’s minds is how do we shed our winter “coats” (a.k.a. pounds)? In this morsel, I am going to share a couple of food ideas that will leave your attendees grateful for having food options that are clever, healthy and tasty. Fruit. […]
F&B: The good, the bad and the ugly, Part II
Claire Gould shares her best practices for culinary negotiations, how to avoid blowing out your budget, handling bar inventory and more.
Bringing it home for the holidays: December 2010 morsel
As we are winding down the calendar year, but gearing up for professional and personal holiday gatherings, the same question gets asked over and over: What to serve on a budget? For the month of December I want to take this morsel out of the banqueting kitchen and bring it into your home for the […]
Food and beverage: The good, the bad and the ugly, Part I
The first area planners tend to trim money from is their food and beverage budget. But how do you save money without sacrificing the experience for your attendees, avoid getting hit by hidden banquet fees and best work with the director of food and beverage and catering manager to create exceptional events? In this PYM […]
Respect the numbers: October 2010 morsel
I am going to make this morsel so short and sweet folks aren’t going to believe it. Here is the deal: When we, as planners, give a third party company or facility a budget number, this is what the appropriate vendor needs to do … RESPECT IT! It amazes me when I give someone a […]
Why it’s important to educate your hosts: September 2010 morsel
Last week I was working for a client, hosting a Friday night reception at a charming wine store owned by a husband and wife. The wine store is in a very sweet and intimate setting that accommodates up to 50 people. During the event, I had a couple of situations happen that I wasn’t so […]
How not to launch a new event space: June 2010 morsel
Recently, I went to a party to celebrate the opening of a “new rooftop event space” at an Atlanta office building along with many other event planners and vendors. Atlanta doesn’t have much of a skyline, but that wasn’t what bothered me. What bothered me is that they wanted people to experience their space, atmosphere, […]
Local. Seasonal. Organic. How to green your meeting menu
As meetings incorporate more and more green programs, the most delicious way to accomplish your eco-event goals and educate your attendees about your actions is through food and beverage. Below are tips to work with your caterers to provide green food to reward your attendees during their long meeting days. Local When building your menu, […]
The culinary X factor: May 2010 morsel
I was in Indianapolis working an intense food weekend at the NCAA Final Four and I had something interesting occur that rarely happens. What, you ask? I met a chef. Well, that’s not the interesting part because it is only natural that I would be dealing a chef. But this wasn’t any executive chef; it […]
The unspoken event: January 2009 morsel
Throughout the years with this column, I have written about weddings, all types of corporate parties and given tips about entertaining in the home. This month, I am going to discuss something that no one is ever really prepared for and which I’ve never seen any event professional discuss: a funeral. On Dec. 19, 2009, […]
Finding inspiration to excel: December 2009 morsel
As we round out the year, I know many of you are exhaling a collective sigh of relief that 2009 is nearing its end while simultaneously sucking in your breath in anticipation of 2010. With that being said, I want to close out my 2009 monthly morsels by writing about the Executive Chef at The […]
Beware when buying out fine dining restaurants: November 2009 morsel
Buying out fine dining restaurants is something I am a big fan of for several reasons. But lately, I am a bit frustrated. I negotiated a buyout of a big-name chef restaurant in Orlando and very clearly told the catering manager up-front that I was going have some menu tweeks. The catering manager said, “Fine, no problem. […]
Buffet brouhaha: October 2009 morsel
I am currently negotiating menus at a downtown property and my client is doing lunch buffets. What a buffet is all about is choices, that is why many clients prefer this option of food instead of plated. Here is my problem: This particular property has a hefty price buffet with only ONE choice of dessert. I said to the […]
Need a prescription for savings?
Sometimes outsourcing part of the planning process can save you a lot of time and money. If you have difficulty reading contracts, feel uncomfortable negotiating, or just want some help creating interesting themes or finding quality vendors at your price point, check out Rx for Catering or Rx for Weddings.
Sustainable food and beverage: An interview with Tim Stein of Levy Restaurants
Every month I interview leaders within the various sectors in the meetings and events industry, focusing on the steps they are taking towards implementing sustainable practices. This month, I talk with Tim Stein, the director of operations for Levy Restaurants, the food and beverage contractor for Denver’s Pepsi Center.
A taste of the south
Rib Ranch Events and Catering, located in Marietta, Ga., coordinates with other companies to provide tables, chairs, tents, bands, balloons and bartending for special events. Rib Ranch’s wide array of menus include barbecue, breakfast, and Italian food. For more information, call 770-422-7746 or email sales@theribranch.com.
Catering tips, trends and advice
How do you plan a traditional banquet without it appearing stuffy? How much liquor do you buy if you have to supply it for a 500-person event? How do you spruce up barbecue? How do you deal with a client who insists on serving mashed potatoes in a martini glass? And how do you tell a venue you hate their preferred caterer?
Watch the bar: October 2006 morsel
Every planner knows that the bar bill can drive costs way up. Here’s some valuable advice from our resident F & B expert, Claire Gould.
