I cater for your work Christmas party AMA

[laughoutquiet]

I run large-ish scale events and catering in city centre venues for a multinational catering company. We can have between 10 and 600 people attend anything from private dinners to weddings to summer parties.

I'm bored, ask me anything about my job.

What's the strangest food you have been asked to serve?

@ooooolala there was one lady who was vegan so she wouldn't allow any of her guests (100 of them) to have any animal products/ by products during her birthday party. Not even milk in their coffee.

@ooooolala we've also done bugs in biscuits

What wouldn't you eat that you serve to other people?

What's the most ridiculous thing you have been asked to do?

Do you prefer large events or small ones?

Do any events / people ever stand as being really special out or do they all just blur into one?

Have you ever had an odd meal request from a Bride or Groom? I once managed a wedding and the Groom had requested a bowl of ready salted crisps as his main. He apparently ate fuck all else.

Do you offer anything other than fruit salad as dessert for Coeliacs?

@pastabest

There's nothing we serve that I wouldn't eat!

Most ridiculous would be constantly topping up dry ice on every table, time consuming and too cloudy!

Large events are so much better commercially but smaller ones are cosier and more personal. I would rather do a large conference though over a wedding any day!

Christmas blends into one. It's just crazy, exhausting and hard work mentally.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz usually it's something like a must for ketchup on the table but I did have a groom that wanted the kids chicken and chips rather than the rib of beef.

Drinks are things like the b&g only want blue wkd. No champagne for them!

there was one lady who was vegan so she wouldn't allow any of her guests (100 of them) to have any animal products/ by products during her birthday party. Not even milk in their coffee.

What's strange about that?

@Tubbyinthehottub

there was one lady who was vegan so she wouldn't allow any of her guests (100 of them) to have any animal products/ by products during her birthday party. Not even milk in their coffee.

What's strange about that?

I think it's very strange to invite 100 people to an event and not allow milk for coffees.

@HedgeSparrows allergen control is one of our toughest challenges but I'm lucky to have a great chef that offers more than the basics!

We ALWAYS get people who insist they have a dietary requirement only to decide they don't when something else they fancy comes out . Such a waste of time and effort! (I'm not suggesting this is you!).

@Tubbyinthehottub

there was one lady who was vegan so she wouldn't allow any of her guests (100 of them) to have any animal products/ by products during her birthday party. Not even milk in their coffee.

What's strange about that?

I find it strange because I would want my guests to have what they liked. I wouldn't impose my diet into others but maybe I'm in the minority??

@ Tubbyinthehottub

I wouldn’t impose my dietary choices on other people.

I used to waitress at these kinds of events during uni.

Was my impression that the event managers were all monumental coke heads correct?

What would be your ideal bang for buck menu for 30 on an activity weekend?

Any hilarious costume failures?

Maybe the vegan hostess didn't want to give any money to suppliers of animal products.

We've been to the 600 person type Christmas ones a couple of times, I've always wondered how on earth they manage to serve up so many meals so quickly, is it like a production line?

@Zarinea

I used to waitress at these kinds of events during uni.

Was my impression that the event managers were all monumental coke heads correct?

Not in my world but I know places where it happens amongst staff.

@Bellevu always go for a buffet option and keep things simple. Evening meals like pulled pork, rolls, coleslaw, salads and wedges keep the cost down big provide good volume.

Sausage/ veggie sausage sandwiches in the morning for us are substantially cheaper than putting on a continental.

@Wriggleout

Any hilarious costume failures?

Once we had a mechanical bull and the party giver brought a basket of leggings for ladies in dresses to wear. They were put back in the basket for someone else to wear

What is your most popular dessert?
And least popular?

@EventuallyDistracted

Maybe the vegan hostess didn't want to give any money to suppliers of animal products.

We've been to the 600 person type Christmas ones a couple of times, I've always wondered how on earth they manage to serve up so many meals so quickly, is it like a production line?

Military precision!

Knowing exactly what everyone is eating and where they are. As soon as you get one mistake (or someone saying they ordered different when they haven't ) it messes up for the next tables.

My larger venues have more than one kitchen so we can hit tables from different doors. It definitely helps!

The vegan thing sounds reasonable to me, as a pp has said she probably didn't want to fund companies that use animal products.

I have got a serious question about this trend I have noticed for grazing tables or grazing platters where all the food is in an organised pile, all different food types right next to each other, all touching. To be honest it makes me heave just looking at it but I was wondering how come this is so popular with concerns and regulations about contamination and allergies these days? Would this be allowed at an organised event or is it more something people do for private catered functions in their own homes?

@Rainbowqueeen retro stuff like Black Forest but with better presentation.

People also love sweet stands, candy floss or ice cream stands.