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.

@Tubbyinthehottub I know venues that do this but we actually can't, as you quite rightly say, because of our company allergen policy.

The only time we have was when a bride insisted on it so I had to get it signed off as her responsibility and covered myself by making it clear to guests that there was cross contamination.

We always label all food including allergens but it's turning into a legal nightmare. There are so many people now with dietary requirements than there were 10 years ago. I know from experience that they are not all true but you have to take them as they are.

Do the chefs really hate catering for those with allergies? And why is there never an evening buffet option for that person/people? It's like after the main, we can go hungry. Many a time I've eaten cereal bars stocked in the glove box of my car.

And why do we always get something totally different? I would absolutely love to make suggestions about an alternative I can have that resembles the other mains.

I agree with a previous poster, a plate of salad leaves and a fruit salad just doesn't cut it. I always anxious for days before and left starving :(

What kind of food requests for groups makes your heart sink on a logistic level?

@LondonTTC it's not that they hate it, it just adds in another level of work to stop cross contamination etc. We wouldn't charge anymore of course but it sometimes turns into an extra shift to be staffed that isn't in the budget.

I'm sorry you haven't had great choice. I sometimes think that some venues are a little behind the times! We always cater fully for anyone with allergens. There's been many times where I've had to hide the gluten/dairy/ whatever free option as people seem to think it's the nicer .

How has the pandemic/lockdown hit you/your business? (I hope you're ok!)

@purplecorkheart it's not normally the food request that is hard, more the person organising it all for their company/family.

Some people are born organisers but some are just hopeless and it makes my job so much harder.

We are so used to doing different events everyday that there's not a lot logistically we can't do, especially if the planning and expectations are in place. You have to be good at saying no or finding solutions.

@someoneiou yes! Massively! And we won't be right for a long time yet. I'm still not convinced Christmas functions will happen this year.

I'm lucky to still have a job.

A couple of basic questions.
How long before food is eaten, is it safe to put it out? Including anything with fish in it?

And how long is it safe to have the food in the freezers before it is used for functions?

Our rule of thumb is two hours for a hot buffet with regular temp checks, and four hours for a room temperature buffet.

Food is frozen for a max of 3 months.

What I do at home is very different!

Often wondered.
Thank you.

@LondonTTC I agree, it seems that way. I am a gf pescatarian, my main course once was a slice of roast cauliflower with a handful of green beans on the side. Others had a fish course that could easily have been converted to gf if served without the sauce (I asked as I was 7 months pregnant at the time, and was hungry! They had no spare plain fish on hand) but apparently my meal had to be the same amount of veg as others were having as their sides! And yes as a pp said, fruit salad for dessert.

@DinosaurOfFire it's horrible when you get a sad meal!

I just think that some caterers don't really care that much, as long as the bulk is done. But sometimes you get so many different requests (think 50 individual requirements in a group of 300) that it's easier to make a vegan dish that's gluten free also, for example. We do always run through menus with clients when planning events.

We do try and create meals however that can have easily substituted ingredients. Gravy is a really easy one at Christmas!