Corporate Events: 5 Unexpected Menu Twists That Get People Talking

From client lunches to holiday spectaculars, All Occasions Catering believes your guests deserve a little lot of something extra. After all, our job isn’t just to feed your team. Any pizza delivery person can handle that. Our goal is the same as yours – to make an impact with your attendees, to get their attention, and to make them feel valued. Here are a few ways we can astound and delight at your next company function.

Bottoms Up!

Tickle palates with beverage options that adventure beyond the standard beer, wine, and soda bar. Even in a libation friendly region like the Midwest, mocktails are enjoying the spotlight more than ever. You’d be amazed how titillating fresh herbs, edible flowers, seasonal fruit purees, and sparkling water can be, and visually they make a great impression. Kombucha, iced and hot coffee and tea bars, a custom green-drink station, international and artisanal sodas all make for great conversation among mingling guests. 

Dinner and a Show

Break the fourth wall by inviting the diner into the chef’s milieu with interactive food stations. Picture designing your own sushi roll, then enjoying a demonstration of its preparation. Carbs are back and fresh pasta is all the rage, so watch it go from dough to dinner plate along with sauce made to your preferences. Invite your guests to mill about any number of creative grazing tables, for instance a Seacuterie Board that features smoked salmon, fresh ahi, crab cakes, ice cold oysters, and all the accoutrements. Imagine a sweet-treat charcuterie, a pretzel board, or a locally crafted cheese and beer buffet, a combo that has never been beat in all of culinary history.

Fully Loaded Flavor

Spicy Heat is everywhere right now, and we’re not just talking competitive hot wing eating. Spicy Margaritas continue to have their moment, so it would follow that Jalapeno Mojitos and Honey Chipotle Martinis deserve a place on a custom cocktail menu. Sweet heat is taking catering by storm as well, and might we suggest a Berry Habanero Bread Pudding, or a Strawberry Sriracha ice cream topper? Wake up their senses by serving up a surprise, and demonstrate your organization has a finger on the (racing) pulse.

Give Them the World

A creative way to stimulate your guests is to fuse familiar favorites with far away flavors. Pair Chicken Tikka Tacos with an ice cold Modelo, or a Korean Paella heavy on Gojuchang and a Makgeolli reduction. Introduce umami, aji Amarillo, and salted jalapeno honey to otherwise zest-free dishes like corned beef or roast chicken, or use them to turn barbeque short ribs up to an 11. The idea is to trick the eye and dazzle the taste buds with an unpredictable offering, engaging all the senses and leaving an indelible mark. Presented with international beer or wine, an imaginative menu conveys thoughtful intention for the diner’s experience. 

Break all the rules.

Anyone who has attended a corporate event knows to expect a little hobnobbing, a glass of wine to loosen up, then some form of a lunch or dinner, seated or buffet style, and then a bit later dessert and a coffee decanter will appear. Sounds like a fine time, but why not shake things up? How about dessert and coffee first? Consider it an appetizer instead of a finisher, with a little caffeine boost to keep conversation flowing. Another option is to serve in courses, alternating tapas dishes with a small glass of complimenting wine or half-shot of liqueur, or even opening up the room to circulating and chit chat in between salad, entrée, and dessert presentations. The idea is to encourage networking and pique curious minds, questioning what is coming next, and when. 

At All Occasions Catering, we believe we’re not just taking your dinner order, we’re choreographing a dance with you, orchestrating a love affair, sowing a memory. If your goal is to build bonds, stimulate creativity, and get your people thinking “What if?,” we’re excited to help. Contact our crafty crew to push the envelope today!