Catering for Business Meetings: Our Top Tips

So you have been assigned the task of organizing the catering for an upcoming company meeting! This can be a somewhat daunting task if the only thing you know about food is that you like it. Not to worry, in this article we have compiled our top tips on catering for business meetings to help you keep a smile on your boss' face!

Type of Business Meeting?
The first step in catering for a business meeting is to decide what type of meeting it is? Are you entertaining important clients, hosting a product launch, training new staff or are you having a brainstorming session with employees. If it is a casual meeting you may want to consider getting simple inexpensive food such as hot and cold platters from a local restaurant. If it is something a little more formal, you may consider getting a catering company to supply an array of specially prepared and presented snacks or a sophisticated lunch platter.

Consider Using a Professional Caterer
If your budget allows, why not consider using a professional caterer to prepare the food? Caterers not only have experience in knowing how to cater for groups and the quantities to order per person, but they also have the know-how to create tasty and beautifully presented food. Using a professional catering team will no doubt impress your clients but will also save you a few headaches and precious time!

Special Dietary Requirements
If you are supplying meals to guests or a large number of people, then take the time to find out if anyone has special dietary requirements and make the necessary changes with the caterer. This will be highly appreciated amongst those who have specific dietary needs and will prevent any awkward or embarrassing situations.

Spicy / not spicy
Be careful about selecting food that is very spicy. Not everyone can enjoy or tolerate this type of food so rather select something that will suit most palates. If you are planning on serving spicy food then make sure to serve a ‘mild’ version as well.

Choose easy to eat foods
If you have ordered canapés or platters for the boardroom (ie. you are not having a sit-down lunch/dinner), then make sure that the snacks are easy to eat with a single fork or spoon and are easy enough to eat without cutlery if necessary.

Real Food
After a long meeting, people usually want something that will satisfy their hunger until the next break. Make sure you offer a variety of protein snacks, not just rabbit food!

Consider your budget
If you need to provide food for 12 people and there is a budget of R200, don’t expect too much at all, in fact expect your clients to go quite hungry. You might be able to get two platters of crudités or one sandwich platter for R200. Our advice would be to consult a caterer to estimate costs for the type of food you want and the number of people attending the meeting. If you want canapés with intricate garnishing and presentation, expect to spend more than if you were to serve finger sandwiches and fried foods.

Males and Females
Women tend to have smaller appetites than men and may also prefer lighter meals and non-greasy snacks. If you are using a professional caterer, you may want to let them know the number of men and women that need to be catered for and this could effect the types of foods and quantities they choose to serve.

Food Safety
You don’t want food poisoning to be the reason why your staff or clients found a meeting memorable. Make sure that food is stored properly and safely at the correct temperature. Make sure to cover food if it is being stored for later and always ensure that you use a reputable caterer that complies with hygiene and food safety guidelines.

Equipment and Space
Do you have space to store all the food? Is there enough space to dish up or will you have to set up an extra table? Do you have the appropriate equipment to keep everything warm or cool? These are points that may seem quite trivial but it’s these little things that can make the difference between a flawless meeting and a not-so-flawless meeting, so be prepared.