by Kristin Healy | Jul 27, 2018 | blog
Swank Events has had the pleasure of working with numerous vendors all around Massachusetts that help make event planning a great space to be in. One of those business is Peppers Artful Events and sat down to talk about making food served at business events more memorable! We’ve created a photo slide show below of all the items mentioned in the article!
Creative Food Displays
Having delicious food for your guests at your event is a given. Having them displayed in a fun and easily accessible way is one of the many ways hiring a great caterer can help elevate your event! Peppers built a custom display for skewered food so guests can partake in their selections anytime they want.
Party Props
Peppers utilizes several props to help set the tone for a party and help facilitate how it’s served. It’s “Food Truck” prop is customized for each event and can be used as a food prep and cooking station – great for creating items like sliders or fish and chips, which are best when made to order!
The cart Peppers utilizes has refrigeration, a prep area and customizable sign. At one event it was used as an Ice Cream Cart, at another is was an oyster shucking station!
Setting the Scene
Taking the prop concept one step further, Peppers added two larger props to their inventory – a Faux Fireplace and a custom beer wall – creating the perfect warm and cozy atmosphere for an event.
The fireplace can also be used as a serving station, which is especially great when space is limited at your venue. Even if your event is held in an outdoor space like a tent – you can still create a sense of hearth and home with their fireplace!
The custom beer wall not only creates a feeling of a pub or brewery, it’s also a great way to offer your guests a multitude of beverage choices! Peppers has a refined wall to serve your venue needs. It can also adapt wine barrels with a wood top to serve as a bar or food station. Special thanks to Linsay Hackney photography for the outside shot of the beer wall!
Beyond the atmosphere decor ideas Peppers has to offer their clients, they are a full-service catering company: Menus that will appeal to any gathering with connections to local farms, bartending services, floral arrangements and cakes, desserts or fun favors for your party!
Swank Events would like to thank Peppers Artful Events again for sharing some of their special event props and looks forward to working with them again!
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by Kristin Healy | Mar 8, 2018 | blog
Does the catering aspect of planning a big event have you overwhelmed? We sat down with Emma Roberts, Owner of Capers Catering, to get her take on how to determine the menu and current food trends they’re seeing. According to Emma, there are several things to consider when figuring out the food for your next event:
1 – Local, seasonal ingredients produce the most delicious outcomes. By partnering with local dairy and produce farmers, artisan cheeses makers, brewers, fish mongers, poultry and livestock farmers, bee keepers and others, Capers excels in creating seasonal dishes and believes that is the secret to catering success. According to Emma, “Customers who are flexible with their choices are the ones that we have the most success in making delicious menus for. We try to make our dishes as seasonal as possible, right down to fish that are available that day from suppliers.”
Seasonal meal by Capers Catering. Photo by David Tucker Photography
2 – Be sure to consider those with allergies. With food allergies more prominent today than ever, chefs must be able to accommodate those with dietary restrictions. When planning out the menu, be sure to have vegetarian, gluten-free, non-dairy and nut-free selections available to your guests. Better yet, surveying guests to learn of any allergies or dietary needs in advance is ideal when working with the caterer to determine the menu.
Amazing seasonal appetizers by Capers Catering, photo by Mandy Nelson Photography
3 – In addition to the food being delicious, it is also important to consider current trends and how the food will be presented. Emma explains that some of the latest ideas include serving a variety of small-plate entrées or making food interactive by presenting it in a non-traditional way. She says, “We’ve done pretzel and donut walls, had food hanging on chains for guests to pick from and even made a rolling bookshelf! Food should also be fun!” We couldn’t agree more!
What about a fun “Donut Wall”? Photo by Channing Johnson Photography
Offering delicious food options at your event is so important, but it is also about the attendees’ experience, so don’t forget to be creative with the presentation and offerings!
Contact us today to hear more about what to consider when planning your next corporate event.
Cover image: Sarah Bastille Photography
by Kristin Healy | Aug 9, 2017 | blog
Food is an integral part of any event, no matter the locale, the time of day, the attendee profile, or the occasion. One thing you can always count on is having to account for a menu. But the new wave of creative catering has moved away from the traditional fondue and carving stations, to something much more inventive and engaging — interactive food displays!
Whether you’re hosting a corporate breakfast, an all-day event, or a dinner party, these ideas should help to involve your audience and ensure they have fun with their food.
Bloody Mary Bar
This is a popular and classic option, but you can make it new and exciting by allowing guests to mix in their own flavorings, like Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, and then offer elaborate garnishes like pickled vegetables, candied bacon, or cocktail shrimp.
Decorate Your Own Deviled Eggs
This is a great brunch option for events with finger foods, and allows guests to have a little hand in the fun. Arrange plain deviled eggs on a platter, and surround with toppings like chopped bacon and fresh herbs, for a little bit of finishing fun.
DIY Parfait Bar
Instead of offering individual yogurts or cold cereal, a parfait bar where guests can layer their favorite type of yogurt, granola, fruits, and nuts is much more exciting, and allows for a much more personalized breakfast option.
Make-Your-Own Taco Bar
Offer a selection of meat and vegetarian options with all the fixings. Guests won’t need to distinguish any dietary preferences with this one, and everyone is sure to create something they’re going to enjoy.
DIY Sliders
This is just like the taco option, but for those who prefer their dinners to be served on buns instead of shells. You could offer a beef, chicken, fish, and veggie option, again with all the toppings you might traditionally find on a burger.
French Fry Station
This is absolutely one of our favorites. Offer a variety of fries — curly, waffle, sweet potato, and even tater tots — and serve them up with delicious and inventive dips like truffle ketchup or garlic aioli.
Make-Your Own Popcorn Packets
Similar to the french fry idea, you can offer guests a choice from say butter popcorn, kettle corn, and a fun flavor like caramel, parmesan, or herb, and then display a variety of different toppings to go along with the popcorn. Salty and sweet combos, like butter popcorn with M&Ms, or kettle corn with roasted nuts, are especially delicious here!
Dip-Your-Own Candy Apples
This is a really fun fall-themed idea, where guests can pick their apple, pick their dip (think caramel or chocolate) and pick their toppings! It may be the messiest of our suggestions, but also maybe the most fun.
Hot Chocolate Bar
Instead of a chocolate fondue station, allow guests to dress up a mug of hot chocolate to their liking. You could offer a few different flavors —maybe white, milk, and dark hot chocolate — and then an array of toppings like marshmallows, spices, and more shaved chocolate. For adults-only events, a splash of Bailey’s or Kahlua would be a wonderful addition here!
The ideas are endless for how to make food more fun at your next event, but these are just some of our favorites.
What’s your favorite way to engage event guests?
