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category Event Catering

Quality of Event Catering – Some serious food for thought

So, just a few days ago I was eavesdropping on a conversation in the office when one of my colleagues asked another if she had enjoyed the Indian wedding at the weekend.

What I was expecting to hear was something along the lines of… “Well, the bride looked stunning”. Or maybe…“They couldn’t have asked for better weather”. Or perhaps, simply…”It was lovely. So much colour, so much laughter and so much joy”.

But no! Back came the reply…”The food was rubbish! They didn’t have this…they forgot to do that…and I was starving by the time we were eventually invited to eat”.

My initial reaction was that surely she could have started with some positives about what was obviously a very special day for the family involved.

Why The Quality of the Event Catering Makes Or Breaks The Event

But then I realised, people really do judge events by the standard of the food. And I’m not just talking weddings. Birthdays, anniversaries, parties, retirements, conferences…they all feature – and often revolve around – the food, particularly the catering for Indian Weddings.

Sometimes we get sidetracked into ploughing all our effort into decorating the venue. Sometimes it’s all about the entertainment. Or maybe we’ll fuss and fret about how people are going to get there, where they’re going to sit, where they’re going to stay, and can we rely on Uncle So-and-So not to embarrass us all.

But when it comes to the crunch, it’s the food that will make or break the event.

Quality of event cateringGet it wrong and the grumbles will last long after the event has finished. Get it right, and the buzz from table to table will be all about how wonderful everything looks and tastes, how it must have cost a fortune for such high end food (when actually part of the secret was in the brilliant presentation), and a determination to discover the caterers’ details for when their magic is required again.

So…moral of the story? Lots of things go into making an event a memorable success. But if there’s one thing you can never – ever – afford to get wrong, it’s the food.

Tell us your thoughts. What is it that makes an event truly special? Is it the quality of event catering? or the decor, the setting, the entertainment or something else for you? Leave your comments below.

Nov 15, 2018
| in All articles, Asian Wedding, Corporate Events, Event Catering, Weddings

Five Reasons Why You Will Love A Corporate Event Planner

Planning events can be one of the most stressful activities you can do.

Help is at hand however. By hiring a corporate event planner, you can create an experience that is successful, powerful and hopefully unforgettable – for the right reasons. Here are five reasons that make hiring a corporate event planner a no-brainer.

Five reasons you need a corporate event planner

When it comes to corporate events, there is a tremendous amount of pressure. Whether you are launching a product, impressing customers or thanking the staff, your event has to impress. It can be hard to get the message of your event across and make everything run smoothly and on time. That’s where a corporate event planner comes in handy…

  • Transform your vision into reality

Corporate event planners are in the field because of their creative flair and passion. With just a small brief, event planners can unleash their creativity to turn a dream into the real thing. If you have a bud of an idea of what you want from an event, then a corporate event planner can transform the design.

It is important you have a clear objective in mind. With this, a corporate event planner can use their experience, connections and suppliers to create an event that is on the brief and will impress. Whether small and subtle, to large and extravagant, using the creativity of an event planner can inspire an event beyond your expectations.

  • More for your money

While you may see a corporate event planner as an added expense, they can actually save you money, allowing your event to enjoy more for the price. The reason? Corporate event planners have many contacts and suppliers in the industry. They know where they can find quality for the best possible price.

Corporate event planners have a lot of purchase power and a fantastic network of contacts and trusted suppliers. This can establish fantastic deals with suppliers which your event can benefit from.

With just one event, you will find it hard to score deals with the big vendors. However, a corporate event planner will be able to negotiate better thanks to their existing relationship or the potential to throw a lot more business their way soon.

  • Budget control

Sticking with the theme of money, a corporate event planner does not just help your event to enjoy more for its money; they can also help you to save money and remain in budget too. All too often when armed with a budget, we have a lack of control and worse, forget about an aspect until it is too late which forces us to go over budget.

A corporate event planner, on the other hand, will be equipped with the latest high-tech software for budget control as well as having experience in how best to proportion and split the budget. As well this, they will make sure there is always a little left for emergencies. Budget management tools can be costly as well as being difficult to operate. However, an event manager will be skilled in using the software and will be able to give you all of the budget information you need, without you having to worry.

An event planner will always stick to your budget and will consult with you if they are over or under budget so that you always have the overriding decision. By having an event planner looking after the budget, it can be a huge weight lifted, and a significant responsibility is taken care of.

  • Experience

Corporate event planners are armed with a wealth of knowledge and expertise. By planning hundreds of events, there won’t be many events that they have not come across, experiences not encountered or problems they have not already resolved.

Event planners have a diverse work experience, where no two days are the same, this means they are equipped with a wide range of knowledge that they can apply to each situation they encounter. From the best successes, they can share tips, while if things go wrong, they will know how to fix them.

With experience, they will know the best ways for you to achieve your objective. From surprising guests, they may recall an event that used real mannequins to come to life during the event to surprise guests. For the best canapes, they may know the perfect supplier. If you need help finding the ideal theming for your niche event, then they may know the perfect vendor to contact. They may even be able to show you pictures and videos of events who have used the idea before so you can see it being brought to life before your event takes place.

  • Reduce time and stress

Planning an event can take up a significant amount of time, and it is likely that your plate is loaded with other activities and tasks too. Event planning has a lot of complex processes and many intricate details to organise and check on. With so much to do and with trust in so many suppliers it is understandable how stressful planning an event can be.

Fortunately, by hiring an event planner, you can relax. Make the most of someone planning all of the details on your behalf and schedule a regular update to give you added peace of mind that everything is on track. By saving time in the event, you can gain time on other projects, which may prove to save money too.

Looking for a luxury event planner?

At Payal Events, we can turn a party into an unforgettable event that surpasses the wildest dreams of our clients and impresses all of the guests. We want to help to reduce the stress of your next event by taking care of every single detail for you.

Tell us about your next event, and we can help to turn your vision into a reality.

Feb 12, 2018
| in All articles, Corporate Events, Event Catering, Event Planning, Weddings

Six Corporate Event Ideas To Inspire You In 2018

As we start to plan for the essential corporate events of the year, event planners are on the lookout for the most creative corporate event ideas that will get people talking and make the event memorable. If you are tasked with planning or managing a corporate event in 2018, then read on for six of the best corporate event ideas to inspire you in 2018.

6 Ways To Put a Different Spin On Corporate Events

  1. Alternative Payment

If you are looking for a way to launch a product or service, or simply a team building event for workers and colleagues, then the alternative payment set up is a fascinating concept that offers benefits to guests and the business running the event. The alternative payment looks at trading a skill or task for the price of food on offer.

For example, if you are launching a fitness or healthy eating program, then you can offer exciting, healthy food by asking your guests to ‘pay’ for it by exercise. You can have exercise bikes and treadmills available allowing people to earn their food.

For networking or skills sharing event, people can pay for food and drinks by offering a service, completing a task. What you then build up is a talent pool as well as valuable feedback and information that can help to craft your business or product.

In fact, with alternative payment, the possibilities are endless, and it can be adapted to suit a whole range of situations.

  1. The immersive experience

To really take your corporate event ideas to the next level, consider a multi-sensory experience. Multi-sensory is an impressive delivery while being at the height of fashion as mindfulness takes hold. Multi-sensory experience can involve a plethora of content. For example, the event food can be part of a journey, inviting guests to enjoy the smell, touch, taste, sound and vision of different dishes to awaken every part of the body.

You can also use a multi-sensory experience to create a narrative. Ideal for engaging guests throughout the whole event and making every aspect of the event tie in together.

  1. Treats for sharing

With social media playing a significant part of marketing for businesses, corporate events are the perfect time to capitalise on your marketing campaign. Throughout your event, you can offer prizes, experiences and exclusive access to VIP areas just from getting the word out there about your business and event.

Offer rewards to those who share your brand on social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Sharing your organisation and event with their network will improve your exposure and show your audience that you know how to throw a party.

  1. A community event

If your brand is all about giving back and supporting the community around you, then a community event is an excellent idea to bring everyone together. It can also help to build relations which can often be strained regarding businesses in the community. For a start, a GPS treasure hunt is a great way to get people discovering the area and finding out more about the location.

Secondly, volunteering for projects can also help to give back to local charities and forge valuable ties with people in the area. It is also a fantastic way to improve your business reputation and market your brand. End the day with a celebratory meal for all involved to enhance networking and thank everyone for being a part of your community.

  1. Improve a skill

Nowadays, everyone is looking for self-improvement methods across all aspects of life. Your corporate event can help to take advantage of this by offering people the chance to learn a new skill. Depending on your brand this can vary, but popular skills could include cookery classes, dance classes, mindfulness and meditations and even 3D printing workshops.

Whatever theme works for your business, you can find a way to have a workshop or masterclass to help everyone feel the benefit of being part of your corporate event. Not only does learning a new skill means everyone gets to take home knowledge, but it can also improve brain function and give improved performance for other tasks too, so it might just benefit your business in the long run. One of the better corporate event ideas?

  1. Festivals

Festivals have been a huge trend, and it is time for your event to capitalise on the trend and create your own festival. Once you have found a suitable location, it is easy to create a festival vibe with pop-up food stalls, a stage for performers and a collection of entertainers milling around the event. It creates a really relaxed vibe and allows people to experience a festival for themselves without coping with the camping.

Depending on your budget you can really go to town with a festival theme by offering everyone branded wellies or ponchos as well as having top rate performers such as singers or comedians to give your festival a distinctive edge.

Jan 15, 2018
| in All articles, Corporate Events, Event Catering, Event Planning, Inspiration

Indian Catering: 5 Signs You Are Getting A Quality Service

Choosing the right Indian catering company for your event is essential. In fact, the food can make or break an event. High-quality dishes can help to rescue a situation, and exceptional catering can become a talking point for a great event. When deciding on a caterer you want to be sure that you are getting a quality service, but what makes a caterer right for your event?

With Indian catering, you want to be sure of an excellent, reliable service and delicious food which your guests will devour. Look out for these five top signs of a quality Indian catering service to help you to make the right decision and make your event memorable.

Five top signs you’re getting a great Indian catering experience

  1. Tastings

When planning an event, you want peace of mind in all areas. One of the best ways to feel reassured by a caterer is by sampling the menu beforehand. When discussing your menu requirements, your caterer should be able to offer tastings. It is especially important to test the meal options if you are undecided on which items to go for. By testing some of the dishes, you can work out the ideal pairings to make your menu selection easier.

Menu tastings are an excellent way to determine a quality Indian caterer. They not only allow you to taste the quality of the food and their cooking prowess, but it will also give you an idea of presentation. As we eat with our eyes first, beautiful presentation is vital and will send your event to the next level.

rupa-viras-the-signature-south-indian

Rupa Viras – the signature South Indian

  1. Knowledge of ingredients

Quality ingredients are essential for delicious meals. One of the best ways to determine a high-quality caterer is by their knowledge and enthusiasm for ingredients. Many top caterers will focus their menus on locally-sourced produce to ensure that they have the freshest ingredients which make a great dish.

Whether you are looking for authentic and traditional cuisines to modern contemporary flavour fusions, the quality of the ingredients will be essential for the flavour and style. Ask your caterer about their suppliers and where they source ingredients from to help you to determine their quality and commitment to providing delicious cuisine.

  1. Attentiveness

Your event is important to you. A quality caterer will make sure that your event is important to them too. When choosing a caterer, look for the ones who take a specific interest in your needs and work with you to offer advice. A caterer should help you to create the best event possible with their dishes. During initial enquiries, a caterer should be responsive and helpful to you. While its expected a caterer will be busy, you should be able to communicate and arrange a suitable meeting time to discuss your requirements.

During a meeting with a caterer, look out for a caterer that actively asks questions. Their interest in your event and wanting to know all of the details is a sign they want to tailor their caterer to meet your needs. These will be the caterers who will strive to deliver top-quality service and be adaptable to your wishes.

Mirch Masala

Mirch Masala

  1. Understanding of your event

Some caterers will specialise in certain event types, which means they might not be the right choice for your event. Most caterers will explain what they specialise in, and trusted caterers will tell you what events they are best suited to and whether your event is right for them.

While a caterer should be flexible and adaptable to your needs, they are all built for different markets and service needs. Make sure that the caterer fully understands your style as much as you understand theirs for the perfect fit.

  1. Detailed contract

A good caterer will be completely transparent with their service offering so that you know exactly what you receive. The contract should include every detail of service, beverages, food and additional services they may offer.

For a high-purchase contract for big events, it is important you fully know your rights, particularly in the event of non-delivery or poor quality. A sign of a quality service will be a caterer that is not cheap, but one that provides the best value. It will be these caterers who will strive to meet your expectations and ensure you are completely happy with the contract. Clear terms and a commitment to providing you with the service you have paid for is a sign of a quality caterer that will give you peace of mind before a big event.

Find out more about our Luxury Catering Services – or if you would like to enquire about our Indian Catering services then feel free to contact us – or call now on 0203 150 2520 / 0161 902 0010.
Dec 11, 2017
| in All articles, Asian Wedding, Event Catering, Indian Wedding, Weddings
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