Occasions, Gatherings and Food Safety: Things to Consider When Hiring a Caterer

Catering in Manila is often a spectacle of wonderful colors, different food and fun-filled events that pulse with life and excitement but behind these wonderful happenings are dozens of hours of preparations, negotiations and often times even pest control! People just want to get their events right so to get it right, here’s a few things to consider when hiring a caterer:

Img src: shortcourses.angliss.edu.au

Menu – When someone considers a caterer, one also has to consider the menu.  If looks could be a basis for judging a person then the menu should be the catering equivalent of that. If the customer disagrees or dislikes the menu then that’s a good sign that they haven’t found their caterer yet.  Food will always be the heart of any event because people simply love to eat so if a customer wants their event to be successful then they have to get the food right and by extension, they have to get their caterer right.

Passion – Caterers have to be passionate in that they love what they do and that they’re willing to do it for their customers.  Even the best endeavor in the word will fall short if the people who run it do not enjoy what they do so when looking for a caterer, look for someone who’s driven and dedicated to what they’re doing.

Safety – As stated above, when organizing an event a lot of things should be considered and chief among them is safety. Gauge a caterer by their menu and their passion but scrutinize them for their views on safety. Everybody loves to eat but nobody wants to get sick from eating so to minimize casualties, a customer should thoroughly investigate whether or not a caterer is up to par with regards to safety.

In connection to safety, caterers should also be informed and they should be willing to accede to the fact that some people may have some allergies. Adjusting a few ingredients in the menu is also an option but for safety’s sake, good communication between client and caterer is key – and the caterer should be willing to adjust to suit their customer’s needs.

Punctual – Nobody wants their guests to go hungry because not only would that put a damper on the event but that would also mean that the caterer hired are people who do not make good on their promises.  People expect quality of service and being late is definitely a big no-no for both organizers and caterers alike so if people want good service, they should only deal with caterers that cares about their client’s time.

Professionalism – Everybody has standards, caterers included. When considering a caterer, one has to consider their cleanliness, their values and most importantly their professionalism. Without this virtue, they will be more susceptible to being sloppy or worse, they simply will not hold up their end of the bargain. Professionalism may seem like a minor thing if compared to the other factors to consider in this list but professionalism is the cement that holds all of the virtues together so customers should keep this in mind.

Communication – There should always be an open line of communication between client and caterer to ensure that everything goes according to plan, from planning to setting up to packing up, both sides should always be open to communication. If a caterer is not willing to communicate with the client then the client should choose a different caterer. Open communication is the key to a great working relationship.

There are a ton of factors to consider in hiring the perfect caterer but that is one of the fun things to enjoy when planning an event.  The customer can go nuts in the planning stages but they should always remember that the real key to a successful event is if everybody is having fun – the organizer included.

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy)is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officerand an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!

Follow her on twitter: @kimmygayeta