Go beyond the menu in event catering

Be flexible - 24/7. Thailand’s Royal Cliff Hotel says that meetings are now often running into the evening or even later, perhaps as groups squeeze as much time as possible into one day. This is leading to groups requesting coffee breaks at least three times during the day. 

Such breaks need to take on different aspects, with flexibility and customisation key elements. “We had cases where we were serving coffee breaks at midnight,” says Vitanart Vathanakul, CEO at Royal Cliff Hotels Group. “Each coffee break, we mix up our offerings, including a dim sum menu and plant-based options.”

Personalise this. Vathanakul says the Royal Cliff Hotel is also seeing increased demands for personalisation as guests now request options outside the menu - not only for the food they would like but also for the entire ambience while they are eating. “Our outdoor venues have been in high demand, where groups hold their events by our infinity edge pools or on our private beach,” he says.

Michelle Sargent, director, Australia & New Zealand at CWT Meetings & Events, agrees that outdoor venues are growing in popularity. “Venues should think outside the box and consider how they can utilise all outdoor areas,” she says. “For example, could the carpark or a normally deserted outdoor area of the venue be turned into a location for pop-up food trucks during breaks at the event? Initiatives like this not only allow guests to get some much-desired fresh air, they can also help venues overcome labour shortages while utilising trusted local vendors for food distribution.” She adds that food trucks provide a casual and fun ambience. which always receives positive feedback.

This trend for personalisation is making itself felt across beverages too, with Royal Cliff having both upgraded its coffee machines and provided training for its in-house barista. This means it can serve a variety of coffee styles to suit different requests, use premium coffee beans and effectively compete with specialty coffee houses.

Put the wow factor into vegetables. Event caterers Lavish Dine Catering says groups are becoming more interested in and aware of where their food comes from and how far it has travelled, and it has noted an increase in using local produce such as locally farmed fish and greens and plant-based items as well as alternative food proteins.

Vegetables and greens are therefore having to step up to mark. “They are no longer the supporting ‘add-ons’ in dishes, they have also gained their place and shine in entrées, soups and main courses,” says Richie Ling, director of business development at Lavish Dine Catering . “We have a series of plant-based canapés, with the likes of Cauliflower Jelly with Quinoa Puff and petit Cabbage Steak, to name a few.”