Current Trends in Catering

Whether you’re planning a big bon voyage bash for a good friend moving overseas or a little meet and greet with a new client, finding special event catering services that stay up on current dietary trends is really important. Additionally, focusing too much on health and not enough on fun and flavor is also a problem: special event catering services are faced with a challenging tightrope walk these days, balancing flavor, fads and function into something that’s also competitively priced. When looking over event menus and planning your next engagement, whatever it may be, keep these eight current trends in mind:
Upscale Comfort Food
People are often looking for comfort foods to take the edge off any number of factors in their lives, but they want it with an uppity twist. Spruce up that mac and cheese dish with some elegant cheese choices and throw in a bit of basil with sun-dried tomatoes, for instance.
Behold, The Biscuit
Forget about rolls and their distant cousins – biscuits are back on top! Easily handheld, slice-able and stack-able, they’re perfect for a twist on sliders, salad-cum-sandwiches and multiple appetizer ideas. Also? biscuits can be made gluten-free, which brings us to our next topic…
Gluten-Free Options
Say bye-bye to wheat, so long to barley and roll out the red carpet for amaranth, quinoa, farro and buckwheat! Roll your eyes if you must, but these grains are actually of much more interesting flavor and texture than their wheat-based cousins. Plus, they can be used to put a funky twist on pasta, which had otherwise fallen out of popularity.
Vegetarian Options
Not a new trend, but one that’s been embraced as more of a rule at this point: people go meatless more often than you might imagine. You need to assume that your even might be a time when guests might opt for this and should accommodate it. With 35% of American’s clocking in over the obesity line, serving imaginative configurations of greens is a nod to making healthier choices.
Farm to Table/Local
People want to know what they’re eating more so than ever before. They want to know where their food came from, how it’s prepared, and have begun to favor local sources for ingredients. Caterers and restaurants have adapted to this, but you should always make sure that at least some of the next food catering menu you offer has some local (or at least regional) connections.
Mash It Up
Crazy, unexpected combinations are all the rage – just make sure they work, flavor-wise. Sliders are a great example of a food format that can withstand innovative alternations.
Gourmet Ice Cream
Despite healthful trends, ice cream never goes out of style. But the latest innovations make for mind-blowing flavor possibilities, and combos galore. Liquid Nitrogen ice cream stations allow custom creations in under two minutes… sky’s the limit.
Mom, Dad… Meet Umami
Umami isn’t a food, it’s a taste terminology. Somewhere between savory and meaty… you’ll know it when it’s in your mouth.
If you’re thinking about hiring a corporate catering company or going with a smaller, boutique operation, you want to be sure the dietary tastes of your guests and relevant food trends are well represented in your menu choices. Ant special event catering services worth their salt should be able to provide you with this. After all, you’re hiring them so they you don’t have to fuss about the food.
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