A number of recent news items have alluded to the new ideas in catering for meetings. From eating out of the back of a (hopefully) purpose-built minibus to fried Mopani worms. Unless a specific, fun-filled event with a highly adventurous theme – the professional planners would cringe at the thought of these so-called innovative catering ideas.
There are some seriously strict rules when it comes to conference catering and the most important are the group dynamics in comparison to the leisure/tourism market. Conferences are usually serious undertakings with a purpose and a series of outcomes. The general rule differs to a tourist who may be inclined towards ‘trying something new.’ Not so much within the corporate, association and public sector delegations. Standing out from the crowd for all the wrong reasons such as: likelihood of spillage or spitting-out questionable tastes is just not going to happen with the average sensible conference attendee.
Identification of the various individual dishes is more than a communication gesture – it is important to the impression gained by the delegate in regard to the MICE venue. And all delegates are both message carriers back to the market as well as potential clients.
At the end of it all – these newfangled catering ideas are all very well yet if the chef says no way – the possibilities of ‘creative’ dishes are not likely to happen.
Hot tip:
Do you know whether the dishes presented on the buffet table have been well-received?
Best way to be assured is to view what dishes remain virtually untouched at the end of the meal.
