Caterer Tasting Guide: What to Expect

Food and beverage are the heart of any catered event, such as a wedding reception, birthday party, and Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, among others. You should then ensure that the food and drinks that will be served in it will be according to your personal preferences, theme for the event, and available budget, among other factors. You must demand a tasting of the buffet or sit-down dinner menu so that you can make final decisions.

Before the Tasting Session

You should be prepared even before the actual tasting starts so as to maximize the time, energy, and effort in participating in it. Keep in mind that it’s not just a free sampling of the wares, so to speak, but an opportunity to judge the caterer’s ability to deliver on your desired results.

• Ask the caterer about the charge for the tasting, if any. Many caterers will charge for the tasting if you don’t choose them for your events.  
• Inquire about the set tasting menu. You may be charged with an additional fee for customized requests on the set tasting menu, which may also come with fees.

• Agree about the samples of food that will be served during the tasting and the number of people who will be coming to it. You may want to sample just the food and drinks that you have not yet eaten before – you have probably attended an event where the caterer was in charge of the food – so as to minimize the possible charges.

• Be clear about your expectations for the tasting. You may want to know everything that the caterer will deliver, such as food quality and presentation, service style, beverage choices, table service, and logistics, or know just a few selected aspects.

You and your prospective caterer should be straightforward about these matters as these will set the tone for your future dealings.  

During the Tasting

Keep these tips in mind for a stress-free tasting:

• Be flexible about the menu items. You may like the presentation of a tomato dish in January but it may slightly change in July.
• Be straightforward yet tactful about the food and drinks presented. You are the client and, thus, you have a say in these matters, such as changing the presentation or the ingredients in a dish. Even large caterers like Cheesecake Factory allow for adjustments.

• Be as specific as possible with the elements of the food and drinks that you like and dislike. You and your prospective caterer can make adjustments, when necessary.

The bottom line: You have to work closely with your caterer so that your event, particularly in the aspect of the food and drinks, will be memorable in a good way. You want you and your guests to actually like eating the items on the table – and not worrying about food poisoning, too, while you’re at it – from the appetizers to the desserts and cocktails.