A lot goes into the catering business. There are just so many steps you have to take before you can cater any event. Planning a large event or gathering can go one out of several different ways and you never quite know what is going to happen. Especially for a large event that involves a business or corporation, you can easily get thrown into the weeds. Figuring out the corporate menu is hard enough without considering what might be on the hors doeuvres menu or, on a more large scale, where to find good caterers at all. But with a little care, concern and forthright effort, you can easily tackle these big events and make the planning process so much easier. Here’s a short list of steps you’ll want to take to make your next corporate catered event a smash hit.

The initial planning
So, to start, you are going to want to consider what sort of event it is going to be. We’re going with a corporate event for this example and, therefore, you are going to need a corporate menu. But corporate events aren’t the only events you can get catered. You can have birthdays catered or funerals or even weddings. All are valid options and all come with a certain amount of implied specifics. If you are catering a wedding, for instance, you are going to want consider what goes on the menu for a wedding reception. A corporate menu, on the other hand, is going to be a little different. Often times corporate menus involve more standard fair than a wedding which will likely be a little more personalized to the couple. On the other hand, corporate events, especially when money is pooled, can be more lavish affairs with higher quality food. It all depends on the business and the money involved. It can be difficult, too, to know what sort of menu you want and there will be a lot of discussion involved. There are, after all, a lot of different types of corporate menus even within the genre of food itself. Once you’ve discussed this time with your team, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Arranging the space
Once you’ve decided on your event menu, you’ve got to next locate and arrange the space where the event is held. Professional catering services will often take care of this on their own but you can certainly help if you wish! And it’s often encouraged as well to save on the cost of labor in general. There are a few steps to this process and they’ll let you know the exact specifics of what you’ll need to do. Often times, the items you’ll bring into the hall or room are going to be detailed to one of the exact corporate menus you chose. You may also need to arrange tables, chairs and benches. If there is going to be a speaker for the event, you might need to set up a podium and a microphone. The arranging can be hard but it needs to be just right to ensure that the event goes off without a hitch. You can make this happen with a little extra effort.
Managing the main event
It’s a lot of hard work, even when the event actually begins. The team that puts one of the corporate menus together is typically also entrusted with the managing the event as it goes. You may want to make sure and ask the caterers that there’s enough of one particular dish. Maybe a supply run will be in order or there’s a special item on the menu that the caterers will need to discuss. Whatever the case, it’s important for the managing staff team to be on duty at all times to ensure that there are no major issues during the meal. Often times, the caterers will appreciate it if a few people stay after to help clean up. It’s not necessary but it’s certainly appreciated and the caterers will absolutely take respectful notice next time you are in need of their services! Always help and people will notice.