2007 Trends in Catering

Patricia Blake and team have just returned from the 2007 Catersource conference and tradeshow -- "The greatest gathering of caterers in the world!" -- in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Unlike the now familiar tagline, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," we are bringing back new tools and ideas to share with our clients. Over the course of several days we had the priviledge of attending educational seminars and networking with some of the best caterers in the country.

Here is an overview of some of the trends for 2007:

"Comfort & simplicity" in menu design and décor. This doesn't mean boring -- rather, food should be cutting-edge and even elegant, yet recognizable.

Interaction between guests and the chef and servers. Translated, this lends food presentation to more family-style meals, as well as the concept of chef-manned stations or "chef tenders."

Cocktails have gone well beyond beer and chardonnay, and now people demand signature cocktails that reflect their personality and/or the theme of the event.

Small plates are still big -- that is, a "wink" or portion bigger than an hors d'oeuvres, but smaller than a first course. People want the opportunity to sample a variety of flavors and see unique presentations.

Weddings have gone beyond the one-day event to a three-day marathon. Now the weekend is booked with creative rehearsal dinners (not just for family and bridal party), morning breakfast/brunches for the bridesmaids on the big day, a cocktail hour with highly stylized stations, the reception, the after-party and finally a post-wedding brunch to wind down! Phew!

This is but a sampling of what we've learned. We are eager to demonstrate our knowledge and showcase our creativity. Please give us a call to set up an appointment to discuss your next event.