The event catering business pertains to the enormous number of corporate events happening in Singapore. When a large company or even a small enterprise hosts anything from a formal seminar to a casual gathering, the quality and presentation of the catering service can make or break the impression of your event.
Avoiding a Bad Impression at Your Corporate Event
Be Clear with Your Statement of Needs
Corporate catering Singapore cuts across a number of disciplines; it serves needs in all kinds of business types and sizes, for events of varying kinds and scales. Much like with wedding planners, you will be dealing with an account manager who will help you get from the “first date” to the final service and the break-down at the end of the event.
Choosing the Right Provider
For a corporate event to succeed, the correct choice of provider is essential. Here’s how to pick the right one:
• Reputation and Experience: Look for caterers with a solid history of serving successful corporate events. It is hard to evaluate this going online, so ask around to contacts in business and the corporate event planning world. They are most likely to know which caterers do well and which ones do not.
• Portfolios and Menus: Review caterers’ portfolios and menus. Even online reviews can be misleading, as many caterers “self edit.”
• Tasting: This is extremely important and sometimes goes overlooked when evaluating potential caterers. You are not picking a restaurant; you are picking a caterer for your event.
Finalising the Contract
After selecting a catering service, it’s time to get to work on the contract.
• Confirm Details: Don’t just take the catering manager’s word for it—confirm the final menu and the cost. The committed, talented caterer won’t mind your diligence, and the onus is as much on you to confirm as it is on them to provide.
• Avoid Hidden Costs: Confirm—or make clear in the contract—that all services expected are included and that there aren’t any sly, hidden extra costs. Halfway through the event, you don’t want to find out that you have to lay out more money for cleanup or for drinks not included in the final total.
• Clarify Expectations: At the signatory stage, it’s best to make clear everything you expect from the caterer and everything the caterer promises to do.
Maximising Impact
Ensure your corporate catering makes the maximum possible impact:
• Make It Meaningful: The catering should enhance the event’s purpose and reflect your company’s values.
• Timing and Presentation: Consider how the timing of the food service aligns with the event schedule. When people first walk into an event, they’re excited—imagine their surprise and delight when they see a lavish spread of food set up for them! If you’re going to serve breakfast, serve it during breakfast time. Similarly, if you’re going to serve dinner, time it so that if you’re not serving it during the actual dinner hour, it closely resembles that hour in appearance and aroma and serves some of the same appearance dishes.
