CaTeRiNG STYLeS

"Buffet" Style Catering is by far the most common and most popular style of catering for many reasons.  This option allows for the guests to serve themselves the portion sizes and items that they choose.  This gives the picky eaters, dieters and also guests with food allergies a chance to find something that they will enjoy.

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This option can be used for formal and informal events.

Some things to consider prior to choosing a Buffet style menu.

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1) Because this option requires little to no staff to maintain it, it is typically much less expensive than "Plated" meals. 

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2) This option however may not be the most suitable if you all of your guests need to be finished at the exact same time.  

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3) Depending on the size of your event you may require more than one line or station to eliminate long lines, frustrated guests and some guests finishing their meals before others begin.  This will need to be discussed witht he caterer during the initial consultation as there can be additional charges for additional staff and set-up.

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4) It is not uncommon for some guests to enjoy seconds or even thirds, especially of the proteins such as steak, chicken or fish.  You may decided to purchase additional amounts of food in case this happens to be sure that all of your guests are fed.

 "Plated" Catering is much like a restaurant style atmosphere.  This is where there is assigned wait staff or servers that will tend to the tables of your seated guests.  Each course of your meal is typically delivered to each individual person in your party.  This style is most commonly used at Formal Events such as Balls, Weddings and Upper Scale Parties or events.

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Some things to consider prior to committing to a "Plated" Event

Although this option can be perceived as the more elegant choice than most other types of dining, this may not be the most suitable style for every event.

Here are a few things to weigh off when deciding which style is right for your event:

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1)  Plated Meals will have extra costs incorporated due to increased, mandatory wait staff as there are payroll and gratuities involved for the wait staff.  Also, you will probably be renting the plates and settings which can also come with a rental, set-up and cleaning fee.

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2) Plated meals often require a staging area where the caterers and staff can arrange your food prior to bringing it out to present to your guests.  This can cause to be a distraction at times for your guests if the staging is happening in  plain view.

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3) You will typically need to send out "Response" cards in advance to your guests and give that information to your caterers weeks prior to the event so they know  how much of what type of food to prepare.  You will also need to give your Caterer an accurate seating chart so they know where to deliver specific food to your guests.  This will also require you to have place cards with your guests name on them at each seat based on the seating arrangements that you designed.

4) It is very common to have a "Social" or "Cocktail" hour prior to a plated meal to give your guests time to soicalize prior to being seated.

"A cocktail party is a party at which cocktails are served. It is sometimes called a cocktail reception. A cocktail party organized for purposes of social or business networking is called a mixer.

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Some events, such as wedding receptions, are preceded by a cocktail hour. During the cocktail hour, guests socialize while drinking and eating appetizers. Organizers of these events use the cocktail hour to occupy guests between related events and to reduce the number of guests who arrive late

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The "three fundamental rules" of cocktail parties are:

1. It should not last long, an hour and a half maximum, the time one can stand up, even if there are chairs for weaker constitutions.

2. Guests should enter and leave freely, avoiding elaborate greetings on arrival and departure.

3. Conversation must avoid passionate subjects (personal, political or religious topics) to keep a harmonious and cheerful ambiance.

"Passed" Appetizers & Bites

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"Passed" refers to having a Waiter or Waitress walk through your event "Passing Out" Small Bites to the guests.

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"Buffet" Style Appetizers & Bites

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"Buffet" Style is much like our dinner buffets but will serve only appetizers and small plates foods such as light salads and pastas. All of the food is generally found in one location that your guests will self serve and are typically not "Passed" or "Stationed".

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"Stationed" Appetizers

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"Stationed" refers to having more than one location in a room or even multiple rooms having different stations of different types of food or even a mirror image of each other. Often you will see a dessert table on one side, seafood at another side. This promotes shorter lines as well as encourages your guest to walk around and mingle.

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Just like a sit-down or plated dinner, a family style meal will have your guests seated at a table while waiters bring out the food on large serving platters to be passed around, just like you were having dinner at Mom’s house on a Sunday afternoon. This is a very inviting and interactive approach to your event and can encourage interaction and conversation between guests that may not be familiar with each other and allows guests to get a chance to know each other as they dine. 

Some things to consider prior to choosing "Family Style" Catering.

1)  Your tables may need to be larger than normal to accomodate the space needed to hold all of the additional platters.

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2) This option will incur the costs of more wait staff than a buffet meal but still much less than a "Plated" meal.