Times are a changing and in the ever changing catering world so are the choices; dynamic, interesting, creative, fun, varied & tasty is the new normal! Sandwiches will always be there for sure, but if you want to make an impression, or make a statement about the sort of forward thinking company you wish to portray your business to be, then how you entertain your guests & staff should be central to that.
Today’s 6 hot trends in corporate catering are;
1. Handcrafted Canapés & non-alcoholic shots – what a combination!
This will appeal to the under 35s mainly, but what is not to like? Non-alcoholic mock shots give a party feel without anyone worrying about driving, mini virgin Mary shots with accompanying matched canapés also combine well.
2. Street food, why not? Caterers these days should have the capability to provide some really interesting mini bowls of street food concepts.
3. Gluten free need not be painful, make it all gluten free and don’t make a fuss! Specialist diets are the new normal, new ingredients and the creativity of the chef all count.
4. Make it healthy, the clean eating trend is flawed as it often involves a very extreme diet. However this trend is evolving into more balanced choices, the image below is of a filo mini cup of Greek salad for example – healthy and delicious!
5. When you need to sustain your guests, go for a hot & chilled fork buffet, sensible on price with a wide selection of choices/options.
6. Finally, and of course, hire a chef for an intimate fine dining experience for small high end corporate events when you need to impress!
Tim Johnson is Executive Head Chef at The Red & Green Buffet Company